The cost of legal marijuana is getting higher in 2020, thanks to a new law that goes into effect on New Year’s Day.“Essentially, the state is raising our taxes $3 on every $100,” said Eric Miramon, co-owner of All About Wellness in Sacramento.Miramon said his Sacramento pot shop pays $120,000 a month in combined state and city taxes — and those fees are going up. California is raising excise fees for wholesalers from 60 percent to 80 percent. Cultivation fees are also growing for flowers, leaves and cannabis plants.“Increasing the taxes over and over a little bit every month, this is pushing people further and further into the black market,” Miramon said.A state report found that up to 80 percent of all the cannabis sold in California comes from the underground market — where products are not tested for toxins, but they are much cheaper than legal marijuana.The key reasons for illicit sales are high taxes for the legal product, red tape and local restrictions — with about 75 percent of California cities banning marijuana sales.“Some time ago, the state came to us and said they wanted to decrease the taxes because of the increase in black market sales,” Miramon said. “Well, in turn, they’ve come to us with an additional tax increase.”Oftentimes, retailers will pass on the additional costs to consumers in the form of higher prices. The Bureau of Cannabis Control did not respond to KCRA 3’s requests for information, explaining the new pricing structure.Another new law that takes effect on New Year’s Day requires all Californians to have health insurance with penalties for not enrolling in a health plan.A separate law requires doctors to fill out a new state form for any medical exemptions from vaccinations.And starting Jan. 1, law enforcement officers can use lethal force only when necessary in the defense of human life.“The Stephon Clark case made a difference,” said Betty Williams, the president of the NAACP’s Greater Sacramento chapter. That tragic police shooting of an unarmed black man in 2018 changed Sacramento forever. The new law is seen as a key to criminal justice reform.“It was time for a change and our community was tired,“ Williams said. “We had free legal clinics with numbers we had never seen before. We have probably touched over 3,000 cases in the year 2019,” Williams added. “And we’ve never had that much involvement as much as the community is concerned.”Under the new rules, officers can be severely disciplined for inappropriately firing a weapon.“A chief of police can actually terminate a police officer showing that they irresponsibly shot someone,” Williams said.The new law also gives district attorneys more discretion in bringing charges against an officer.The new year also brings big changes to housing construction in California. Starting Jan. 1, all new homes built in California must come with solar as a standard feature built right into the roof. The new law is designed to tackle some of California’s most pressing problems.“We have some of the worst air quality in the country,” said Bernadette Del Chiaro, director of the California Solar and Storage Association. “We have some of the highest energy bills in the country. And now, we have some of the most unreliable electric grid.”But mandating solar roof panels could add up to $10,000 to the cost of a new home — in a state where housing is already hard to afford for millions of Californians.But supporters insist the added investment will provide a good return over time.“The amount that your mortgage will go up incrementally by that $10,000 is much less than the amount your electric bill will go down,” Del Chiaro said. While that remains to be seen, advocates insist most solar panel systems will pay for themselves in about five or six years.
The cost of legal marijuana is getting higher in 2020, thanks to a new law that goes into effect on New Year’s Day.
“Essentially, the state is raising our taxes $3 on every $100,” said Eric Miramon, co-owner of All About Wellness in Sacramento.
Miramon said his Sacramento pot shop pays $120,000 a month in combined state and city taxes — and those fees are going up.
California is raising excise fees for wholesalers from 60 percent to 80 percent. Cultivation fees are also growing for flowers, leaves and cannabis plants.
“Increasing the taxes over and over a little bit every month, this is pushing people further and further into the black market,” Miramon said.
A state report found that up to 80 percent of all the cannabis sold in California comes from the underground market — where products are not tested for toxins, but they are much cheaper than legal marijuana.
The key reasons for illicit sales are high taxes for the legal product, red tape and local restrictions — with about 75 percent of California cities banning marijuana sales.
“Some time ago, the state came to us and said they wanted to decrease the taxes because of the increase in black market sales,” Miramon said. “Well, in turn, they’ve come to us with an additional tax increase.”
Oftentimes, retailers will pass on the additional costs to consumers in the form of higher prices.
The Bureau of Cannabis Control did not respond to KCRA 3’s requests for information, explaining the new pricing structure.
Another new law that takes effect on New Year’s Day requires all Californians to have health insurance with penalties for not enrolling in a health plan.
A separate law requires doctors to fill out a new state form for any medical exemptions from vaccinations.
And starting Jan. 1, law enforcement officers can use lethal force only when necessary in the defense of human life.
“The Stephon Clark case made a difference,” said Betty Williams, the president of the NAACP’s Greater Sacramento chapter.
That tragic police shooting of an unarmed black man in 2018 changed Sacramento forever. The new law is seen as a key to criminal justice reform.
“It was time for a change and our community was tired,“ Williams said.
“We had free legal clinics with numbers we had never seen before. We have probably touched over 3,000 cases in the year 2019,” Williams added. “And we’ve never had that much involvement as much as the community is concerned.”
Under the new rules, officers can be severely disciplined for inappropriately firing a weapon.
“A chief of police can actually terminate a police officer showing that they irresponsibly shot someone,” Williams said.
The new law also gives district attorneys more discretion in bringing charges against an officer.
The new year also brings big changes to housing construction in California. Starting Jan. 1, all new homes built in California must come with solar as a standard feature built right into the roof. The new law is designed to tackle some of California’s most pressing problems.
“We have some of the worst air quality in the country,” said Bernadette Del Chiaro, director of the California Solar and Storage Association. “We have some of the highest energy bills in the country. And now, we have some of the most unreliable electric grid.”
But mandating solar roof panels could add up to $10,000 to the cost of a new home — in a state where housing is already hard to afford for millions of Californians.
But supporters insist the added investment will provide a good return over time.
“The amount that your mortgage will go up incrementally by that $10,000 is much less than the amount your electric bill will go down,” Del Chiaro said.
While that remains to be seen, advocates insist most solar panel systems will pay for themselves in about five or six years.
