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Rep. West: The cannabis tax increase should expire in FY2027
ST. PAUL – State Rep. Nolan West, R-Blaine, issued the following statement after the House passed a tax bill passed in a special session Monday, containing a 50-percent increase to the cannabis tax and eliminating the dedication to local governments from the cannabis tax.
He offered an amendment to the bill that would have placed a sunset to end the 50-percent increase to the cannabis tax in FY2027. However, West said he withdrew the amendment due to lack of support across the aisle.
“I spoke with my colleagues on the other side of the aisle and realized they would not provide enough support to sunset this tax,” West said. “This tax bill benefits the illicit cannabis market, by making legal cannabis uncompetitive, and it also directly harms cities, like Blaine, by taking away their share of the cannabis revenue. It is a shame every single House and Senate Democrat voted for this.”
The tax bill passed the House with 39 of 67 Republicans opposing it and on a party line 34-33 vote in the Senate with unanimous Republican opposition.
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