Paul Livius Report BY PAUL LIVIUS

At Tuesday evening’s City Council Meeting, Ms. Robbie Tubbs spoke to the Board during Public Comments. Her comments were short and to the point. Ms. Tubbs told Aldermen she believes marijuana should be taxed and treated as other restricted  products in Missouri such as alcohol and tobacco products. 

It is hard not to agree. 

Marijuana is complex chemically and not yet fully understood. Like alcohol, marijuana acts as both stimulant and depressant. Ask anyone who has ever been subject to a drug test for employment. Marijuana lingers in body organs longer than alcohol. Smoking marijuana can injure mucosal tissue and may have more carcinogenic potential than tobacco. 

Section 10, Paragraph 4 of Amendment 3 clearly states “authorities have jurisdiction over the licensing and/or permitting of said activity”. 

Section 10: Paragraph 4: A person who smokes marijuana in a public space, other than an area licensed for such activity by the authorities of the local jurisdiction over the licensing and/or permitting of said activity, is subject to a civil penalty not exceeding one hundred dollars. 

In this case, “the local jurisdiction” is the City of Raytown. It is illegal in Raytown to drink alcohol and drive. It should also be illegal in Raytown to smoke marijuana and drive. 

In our view consumption of recreational marijuana should be limited to private property where consumption by smoking of marijuana is allowed by the property owners. 

In today’s world much has been written and said of the effects of secondhand smoke. Many restaurants have banned the use of tobacco products. The unpleasant smell second hand smoke created by marijuana should come under the same restrictions. 

If you smell marijuana being smoked, make no mistake about it, you are breathing it into your lungs. 

The same is true for children and those with respiratory problems. This invasion of personal space should not be tolerated. 

Now is the time for the Board to bring focus to what areas of enforcement are important to the Raytown community.

Paul's Rant

City Hall sets election date for creation

of a 3% Sales Tax on Recreational Marijuana

Last Tuesday night the Raytown Board of Aldermen approved placing a ballot issue on the March 4th Municipal Election for the creation of a 3% Sales Tax on all sales of recreational marijuana in the City of Raytown.

When voters approved Amendment 3 to the Missouri State Constitution it created a number of new tax opportunities for different levels of taxation on the sale of recreational marijuana in Missouri. If all the taxes are approved, the following sales tax will apply to the purchase of recreational marijuana.

8.35%        CURRENT RAYTOWN SALES TAX

3.00%        RAYTOWN SALES TAX ON MARIJUANA SALES

6.00%        STATE OF MISSOURI SALES TAX ON MARIJUANA SALES

16.35%      TOTAL SALES TAX PER DOLLAR ON MARIJUANA SALES.

 

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