Those buying cannabis at legal storefront operations in California are helping pay for a new 2024 Chevrolet Tahoe patrol unit for the Manteca Police Department.
The California Highway patrol awarded Manteca a grant for $50,333 from the state’s share of taxes on cannabis operations.
The Manteca City Council when they meet tonight at 6 o’clock is expected to approve a transfer of $29,000 from the supplemental law enforcement services fund to complete the purchase and equipping of the SUV. The overall cost is $79,933.
Given Manteca hasn’t yet opened its first storefront retail cannabis operation, the state taxes were collected on marijuana that is being sold in other jurisdictions and then divvied up between law enforcement agencies in California through the CHP.
Tonight’s’ agenda also includes a request to approve community benefit agreements with two of the three firms awarded city licenses to sell cannabis in Manteca. Besides a set percentage of their sales, the two entities are each providing the city with license plate readers.
California in 2023 collected $1.027.2 billion in taxes on legal marijuana sales in 2023.
That included $621 million in cannabis excise taxes and $460.2 million in sales tax.
Based on sales tax collected, legal marijuana sales was a $5.136 billion enterprise in California during 2023.
Not all retail cannabis sales and subject to sales and use taxes. Certain retail sales of cannabis for medicinal purposes are exempted.
The three entities to sell marijuana in Manteca are expected to have stores open in the coming months with all three up and running by summer’s end.
That means the first sales tax collected, which will likely start in the third quarter (July through September), won’t make its way to city coffers until early 2024.
The three locations are:
*Embarc Manteca in the 1100 block of South Manteca in a retail strip center directly behind Dairy Queen.
The Planning Commission has already granted a use permit for the store to operate in a 3,000 square-foot space being remodeled from two suites on the northern end of the building adjacent to the Arco station.
*Off the Charts Manteca is at 2325 West Yosemite Avenue in a small business park that has been populated over the years by auto care, construction, window blinds contractor, and other similar businesses. It is occupying space in the front that has storefront characteristics.
It is on the north side of Yosemite Avenue with the municipal wastewater treatment plant is to the southwest and across the street.
*Nectar Market is at 1519 Yosemite Avenue.
It is in the northwestern most corner of a series of business and professional & medical buildings — including Valley Oak Dental and Central Valley Veterinary Hospital — are located on the northwest corner of Trevino and West Yosemite avenues.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
