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Silt rejects marijuana tax

Heidi Rice
Post Independent Contributor

SILT — If a retail marijuana shop opens in Silt, customers will not be paying an extra 5 percent tax for their pot, following a decision by the town trustees at their meeting Monday night.

The board voted 4-3 not to approve the tax increase, with the majority saying they did not want to see another tax increase on the town’s citizens or its businesses.

Mayor Pro-Tem Rick Aluise, and trustees Bryan Fleming, Sonny Fernandez and Keith Richel voted against the measure while Mayor Dave Moore, and trustees Paul Taylor and Jeff LaValla voted in favor.



That’s if a retail marijuana shop ever makes its way into Silt.

At the same meeting, the board disapproved Ordinance 1 & 2, which establishes zoning and licensing regulations for medical marijuana stores. Without those approvals, a medical marijuana shop cannot open in Silt.

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State law, on the other hand, says that only medical marijuana shops in good standing may apply for a retail marijuana license at this time. So without any medical marijuana shops in Silt, retail marijuana sales are a pipe dream right now.

“Until July 1,” said Town Administrator Pamela Woods. “The state recognized that some places may not have medical marijuana facilities and the retail shops can come in after July 1.”

Woods said there have been several inquiries about obtaining a medical or retail marijuana license, but no applications have been submitted yet.

In other business

The town clerk, town treasurer and the police chief, which have all historically been hired or terminated by the board of trustees, will now report directly to the town administrator, who will make those decisions in the future.

However, the board will still have the overall power as far as budgeting and salaries for the positions.


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