Your Guide to California’s Local Cannabis Ballot Measures
California voters will weigh in on over two dozen local cannabis measures this November. Most of these would either legalize commercial cannabis in jurisdictions where it is prohibited or pave the way for such policy changes in the future.
Below is a list of local cannabis measures we’ll be following on November 8.
LOS ANGELES COUNTY
Los Angeles County Measure C would permit cannabis businesses in unincorporated parts of LA County and enact annual tax rates not to exceed $10 per square foot for cultivation (adjusted for inflation); a percentage of gross receipts for various cannabis businesses, including 6% for retail, 2% for testing laboratories; 3% for distribution and 4% for all other cannabis businesses.
Baldwin Park Measure CB would permit cannabis retailers to sell and deliver medical and adult-use cannabis. It would establish a sales tax of 0.5% for retailers and a 4% tax on gross receipts from sales, while authorizing the City Council to modify rates up to 5%.
Claremont Measure CT would establish a tax on cannabis and hemp businesses as follows: 4%-7% of gross receipts for retail businesses; 1 %-4% of gross receipts or $1-$10 per square foot for other businesses — whichever is higher — with certain rates increasing annually.
Cudahy Measure BA would authorize storefront retail cannabis sales and other commercial cannabis activities. It would slap a 15% gross receipts tax on marijuana retailers and restrict locations to 600 feet from schools, churches, and childcare facilities.
El Segundo Measure Y would establish taxes upon cannabis businesses not to exceed $20 per square foot for cultivation and 10% of gross receipts for other cannabis businesses in case of legalization. However, a “yes” vote does not make cannabis businesses legal in El Segundo.
El Segundo Measure W would legalize commercial cannabis in El Segundo by repealing the City’s current prohibition on commercial cannabis activities.
Hermosa Beach Measure M would repeal the City’s existing ban on cannabis businesses and allow up to two cannabis retail storefront businesses, including delivery, by City-approved permit. This was placed on the ballot through a citizens’ petition drive.
Hermosa Beach Measure T is a competing ballot measure that would place a tax on cannabis/hemp businesses up to $20.00 per square foot for cultivation and up to 10% of gross receipts for all other cannabis/hemp businesses. This was placed on the ballot by the City Council.
Lynwood Measure TR would establish a 5% tax on retail cannabis businesses.
Manhattan Beach Measure MB would legalize all commercial cannabis activity and permit three cannabis retailers within city limits. It gives the Manhattan Beach City Council discretion on location requirements.
Manhattan Beach Measure V would maintain the commercial cannabis ban on marijuana in the city.
Redondo Beach Measure E would repeal the city’s ban on non-medical marijuana businesses and allow up to three marijuana retailers.
Santa Monica Measure HMP would enact a 3% tax on non-medicinal cannabis retailers, 2% on medicinal cannabis retailers, and 1% on other licensed cannabis businesses, with a maximum of 10% gross tax at the discretion of the city council.
South El Monte Measure CM would permit and regulate limited cannabis sales (1 adult-use/medical with option of up to 3 total after the measure’s first year) and establish a general tax not to exceed 8% of noncultivation cannabis business proceeds and $25/square foot of cultivation space (with CPI increases).
South El Monte Measure X is a competing measure that would permit and regulate limited cannabis businesses as follows: 5 allowable dispensaries, 2 cultivation, 1 testing facility, and 2 manufactures/distributors. It would establish a maximum 6% special excise tax on retail cannabis/edibles sales.
ORANGE COUNTY
Huntington Beach Measure O would tax cannabis businesses up to 6% of gross receipts for retailers and up to 1% of gross receipts for all other cannabis businesses if they were to be permitted in the City.
Laguna Woods Measure T would establish a tax on cannabis businesses of 4%- 10% of gross receipts or $5-$35 per square foot for retail businesses and 1%-10% of gross receipts or $1-$35 per square foot for other businesses, whichever is higher.
SAN DIEGO COUNTY
San Diego County Measure A would tax cannabis businesses in the unincorporated area on gross receipts at maximum 6% for retail, 3% for distribution, 2% for testing, cultivation at 3% or $10 (inflation adjustable) per canopy square foot, and 4% for other businesses.
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
Montclair Measure R would authorize a marijuana gross receipts tax of no more than 7% with revenue dedicated to general services.
SONOMA COUNTY
Healdsburg Measure M would establish a cannabis business tax at annual rates up to and not to exceed 8% of gross receipts for cannabis businesses.
TULARE COUNTY
City of Tulare Measure Y would enact a 10% tax on cannabis businesses to fund general city services.
MONTEREY COUNTY
City of Monterey Measure J would establish an annual cannabis business license tax of up to 8% of gross receipts for retail businesses, 2% of gross receipts for testing laboratories, and 6% of gross receipts for other cannabis businesses, with an additional tax on highly potent products.
City of Pacific Grove Measure M would authorize the City Council to amend the Municipal Code to allow retail sales of medical or recreational cannabis, limited to one single location no closer than 1000 feet from Daycare/Preschools, Youth Centers, and Schools.
City of Pacific Grove Measure N supports an excise tax on cannabis and hemp businesses at an annual rate not to exceed 6% of gross receipts for retail and delivery cannabis businesses.
MARIN COUNTY
Sausalito Measure K would repeal the ban on marijuana sales in Sausalito, establishing a process for applying to operate a marijuana business, and requiring that the greater of 7.5% net profits or $50,000 from marijuana sales be paid to the city.
YOLO COUNTY
Woodland Measure K supports enacting a tax on cannabis businesses of up to 10% of gross receipts.
KINGS COUNTY
Avenal Measure C supports authorizing the city to tax marijuana retailers at a rate of $25 per square foot (annually adjusted by inflation) or 15% of gross receipts (whichever is more).
TEHAMA COUNTY
Red Bluff Measure E would allow an array of commercial cannabis businesses to operate in the city. These include storefront retail establishments (1 storefront retail business per 5,000 people), retail delivery (1 per 5,000 people), microbusiness, manufacturing, distribution, testing, cannabis events, and indoor cultivation. It would also permit cannabis consumption lounges if permitted by state law.
