Seeds of Change? Baker City Explores Overturning Ban on Marijuana Sales
By Joe Hathaway on Friday, August 11th, 2023 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
BAKER CITY – Facing a dramatic budget deficit, the Baker City Council is rolling with the times and letting business grow… one leaf at a time.
The City Council voted on Tuesday, August 8th to explore the option of overturning the city’s ban on the sale of marijuana in city limits, which had been in place since 2015. The motion passed 5-2.
According to interim city manager Jon France, allowing marijuana dispensaries could generate an estimated $110,000 per year. Those figures are based on two dispensaries operating.
Councilors asked France to further explore the tax revenue and other legal aspects and will discuss the issue again at their meeting on August 22.
Baker City mayor Beverly Calder tells Elkhorn Media that if the city were to move forward and adopt an ordinance permitting recreational sales and also wanted to add an additional local tax (there is already a state tax that is distributed per capita back to cities with licensed retailers), that local tax would require passage on a future ballot.
Rex Hubbard, who manages a marijuana dispensary in Baker County, sees the sale of marijuana in Baker as good for the community.
“I see a lot of benefit from this, obviously the taxable income they would be receiving would go a long way to help with the budgetary shortfall,” said Hubbard, “I just hope the city council takes the time to evaluate and not put the cart before the horse like Ontario did. There’s too many dispensaries there now. The council needs to see what has been working well and maybe follow suit with that and don’t get so caught up in the money. The money will come, but don’t let that be the entire focus.”
France says the city needs $1.74 million in new revenue. France and the Council also discussed implementing a new public safety fee and a local gas tax, among ideas to create desperately needed revenue for the city.
