A customer counts out cash for a transaction at the Native Roots pot shop in Boulder County. (Daily Camera file)

Glenwood Springs, Colo. voters add 5% tax to weed sales, open door to 15%

Glenwood Springs voters have agreed to join other area municipalities in assessing special taxes on the retail sale and transfer of recreational marijuana products within the city.

City voters, in the mail ballot election that concluded Tuesday, voted 1,205 to 813 to impose a new, local 5 percent tax on the sale of retail marijuana, as allowed under Colorado law. The tax could be increased in future years to as much as 15 percent without additional voter approval.

A separate question on the spring ballot asked to assess a separate 5 percent excise tax on wholesale transfers from a retail marijuana cultivation, manufacturing or testing facility to retail marijuana stores in Glenwood. That question passed 1,260 votes in favor to 764 against.

The taxes will be assessed on top of regular city, county and states sales taxes, as well as special marijuana taxes imposed by the state following the legalization of marijuana for recreational use in Colorado in 2012.

The city anticipates revenues from the taxes combined in excess of $500,000, based on current retail activity. Revenues are to be used for education and public health programs associated with legalized marijuana, enforcement of marijuana regulations and city infrastructure needs.

Some discussions have also taken place with the Valley Marijuana Council about using some of the marijuana tax revenues to help fund a regional detoxification facility, which the Glenwood Springs area has been lacking for several years.

This story was first published on PostIndependent.com