Whole thing is worth reading. http://www.recorder.com/marijuana-tax-5603705
Here are excerpts:
For one national marijuana tax policy expert, effective marijuana taxation is all about how it’s applied to make sure a state rakes in adequate revenue from legalization to cover administration costs, deter illegal sales, and fund other parts of the state budget. It’s a delicate balance.
Pat Oglesby is the founder of the tax policy nonprofit Center for New Revenue and former chief tax counsel of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee. He said Question 4’s price-based 10 percent sales and excise tax on marijuana and the state’s absence of a tax on medical marijuana present some specific challenges to effectively taxing the product under legalization. It’s lower than both Colorado’s and Washington’s tax rates. Continue reading “Taxes in MA marijuana initiative”