By Deborah Sullivan Brennan, The San Diego Union Tribune on January 27, 2023

Cannabis dispensaries in San Diego’s backcountry will pay some of the lowest taxes on such businesses in the county, after the Board of Supervisors set tax rates they said would allow the businesses to compete with those in neighboring cities.

On Tuesday, the board voted 4-1 to authorize taxes on the five existing marijuana businesses in unincorporated parts of the county and any new ones. Supervisor Jim Desmond objected, saying he didn’t think the tax rates would cover costs of traffic enforcement to prevent intoxicated driving.

San Diego County voters approved a general tax on cannabis businesses in November, authorizing the county to establish a tax system for cultivation, manufacturing, testing, distribution and sale of marijuana and related products. Because the ballot measure authorized a general tax, the money collected will go into the county’s general fund and can’t be earmarked for specific purposes.

– Read the entire article at The San Diego Union Tribune.