LAKEPORT>>> The Lake County Board of Supervisors held their weekly meeting, approving another section of the ordinance to regulate smoking and commercial tobacco use in the unincorporated areas of Lake County. The board also approved a resolution to extend temporary reduction of the cannabis cultivation tax rate, temporarily limiting cultivation tax to canopy area through 2025, and rescinding the suspension of tax rate increases.
The supervisors considered freezing the cannabis canopy tax rate, which was reduced by 50 percent in prior years. District 5 Supervisor Jessica Pyska stated, “I’m not super comfortable moving forward because there was so much information brought up today we do not have an analysis here. We’re just winging up what we did a couple of years ago without considering changes, changing conditions and changing conditions at the state.” County Tax Collector Patrick Sullivan said, “I have a draft of the amendments that I was working on, pretty much complete. I can add in a few more points made today.” He continued to explain that changes like a switch to a gross receipts model taxation would require a public vote.
Chris Thomas from Ghost Dance Ranch made public comment via zoom noting the importance of the lowered canopy tax stating, “We can’t keep on this way. Not having to pay that canopy tax at our farm has really helped us remain in cultivation because without that we would be spending our money on labor and fees and everything else.” He continued “We are tired of losing our money and our farms to corporate greed.” Jessica Pender also from Ghost Dance Ranch added, “Napa has the wine let’s keep the cannabis. Keep the legacies alive and the corporate (entities) out. I like the gross sales tax, that could really be something to look at as happy medium for everybody.”
Chris Jennings, owner and operator of South Lake Farms and dispensary, shared “If we squeeze out our small farmers, our small business, which is the backbone for our economy, the ripple effect it has of spending money in local stores and what restaurants we have left, it’s going to be very detrimental to our county.” Many more members of the cannabis industry spoke on behalf of this decision agreeing on the need for this lessened tax made permanent. The board approved the resolution in a 4-1 vote with District 4 Supervisor Green dissenting.
The board also considered a final ordinance from Liberty Francis of Public Health again, returning to an ongoing matter regarding the ordinance to regulate smoking and commercial tobacco use in the unincorporated areas of Lake County. This ordinance will begin the enforcement of a smoking ban on all county owned or leased property including county parks and trails. There was discussion of the multi-unit housing complexes that have public use spaces like playgrounds or pools with Francis clarifying “It’s not addressing, at this point, the actual dwelling.” Supervisor Green made many arguments against this ordinance, noting that its expanse can be generalized to the entirety of the outdoors in Lake County. After much discussion the ordinance was approved in a 4-1 vote with Supervisor Green dissenting.
