Marijuana tax revenues start in 2018, but the real work starts now, proponents say

Published: Nov 10, 2017, 1:28 pm • Updated: Nov 10, 2017, 1:28 pm

By Randy Wyrick, Vail Daily

EAGLE — The day after Election Day, Chris Lindley was smiling as he picked up campaign signs. It’ll be his easiest task for the foreseeable future, after helping pass Eagle County’s new marijuana tax.

Ballot Measure 1A passed with 8,151 votes, 74 percent of the 11,056 ballots cast in the Tuesday, Nov. 7, election.

“This is the first step. We passed the tax, but now the real work begins,” Lindley, Eagle County’s human services director, said Wednesday, Nov. 8. “I think it’s clear that the community has spoken.”

The countywide tax on recreational marijuana could generate an estimated $2 million annually for Eagle County’s coffers. Of that, the first $1.2 million is supposed to be spent on mental health and substance abuse programs in the Eagle River and Roaring Fork valleys.

The rest would be committed to community programs. Those programs have not been identified because the current commissioners do not want to restrict future boards, said Bryan Treu, Eagle County attorney and interim county manager.

Read more of this story at VailDaily.com

This story was first published on VailDaily.com

Topics: ballot initiatives, Colorado, eagle county, taxes, where tax money goes