Oregon Cannabis Association Tax Alert – “HELP STOP A NEW THREAT! -A21 Amendment to SB 1524 Another Cannabis Sales Tax Increase!”

HELP STOP A NEW THREAT!

-A21 Amendment to SB 1524
Another Cannabis Sales Tax Increase!

Folks,

The 2022 legislative session is SO CLOSE to being over, and yet we need to ask your help once more to fight off a regressive cannabis sales tax increase.

This afternoon, an Amendment was introduced (-A21 Amendment) to increase the local cannabis sales tax up to 10% in certain areas.

This amendment is being considered for addition to an otherwise unrelated tax bill (SB 1524) that did not impact cannabis taxes in its original form.

That bill also already passed a vote in the Senate, and is now scheduled for a Work Session in the House Committee on Revenue tomorrow at noon!

We need to make sure that the folks on the House Committee on Revenue and in leadership hear our extreme opposition to this amendment, and we need them to hear it from us as soon as possible – ideally within the next 24 hours!

Here’s what you can do RIGHT NOW to help to stop this tax increase:

• Send in comments to the Legislative offices listed below.
  We have also provide a sample letter that folks can use/customize.

The short session is, as it’s name would suggest, very short – SO WE NEED YOU ALL TO ACT FAST, AND MAKE THOSE EMAILS AND POSTS ASAP!

Action Alert –

DO NOT ADOPT REGRESSIVE CANNABIS SALES TAX AMENDMENT (A21) TO SB1524!

Now, once again, is the time for ACTION!

We need you all to reach out to the legislative offices below, so they know precisely how unpopular this proposal is, and how much it would hurt us.
And we need them to hear this from us ASAP!

The process is simple – 

1.  Copy the letter below in an email – and be sure to fill in all of the blank sections with your personal information, and add your own thoughts!

Here is a sample letter we’ve received from a concerned Oregonian cannabis consumer, and we suggest you all use this as a base for your letter.

Copy and Paste this into the body of your email:

Chair Nathanson and Members of the House Committee on Revenue,

I’m writing to let you know that I strongly oppose the regressive cannabis sales tax increase amendment (-A21) to SB 1524.

We’re facing record inflation – rent is rising, gas prices are up, food costs are soaring. The amount I make hasn’t kept up, and my budget is tightening.

Like millions of Americans, cannabis has been a source of joy and comfort to me for many years. The amount I can spend on cannabis continues to dwindle, and I’m dismayed that the legislature is considering making that amount even less.

This is a regressive sales tax that hurts working class people like me!

People can’t buy their coffee from someone growing it in their backyard, but I can sure as hell buy my cannabis like that – and very easily.  If you raise the taxes, it will force me to return to a more traditional market where I can stretch my dollars further.
That doesn’t help anyone.

This will make a big difference to me, and to many other Oregonians.

PLEASE DO NOT ADOPT THE REGRESSIVE SALES TAX AMENDMENT (A21) TO SB 1524!

Thank you,

[ADD YOUR NAME HERE]
[ADD WHERE YOU LIVE HERE]

***

Here is our suggested subject line to copy and paste:

SUBJECT:

DO NOT ADOPT THE REGRESSIVE SALES TAX
AMENDMENT (A21) TO SB 1524!

2.  SEND YOUR EMAIL TO THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON REVENUE

Here are the names and emails of the folks we’re trying to get to hear our message of opposition.  Be sure to add their office’s email addresses to the subject line of your email.  Include your own State Senator and Rep. also (and you can use this tool here to find out who that person is, if you aren’t sure).

SEND YOUR EMAIL TO THESE EMAIL ADDRESSES (COPY & PASTE ALL):

^{Rep.NancyNathanson@oregonlegislature.gov
Rep.KhanhPham@oregonlegislature.gov
Rep.EWernerReschke@oregonlegislature.gov
rep.BobbyLevy@oregonlegislature.gov
Rep.PamMarsh@oregonlegislature.gov
rep.gregsmith@oregonlegislature.gov
Rep.AndreaValderrama​@oregonlegislature.gov
Rep.JulieFahey@oregonlegislature.gov
rep.danrayfield@oregonlegislature.gov}

(Please BCC staff@oregoncannabisretailers.com on the email too!)

3.  SHARE THIS EMAIL WITH OTHER NETWORKS YOU MAY HAVE!

We need to make sure the voices of cannabis consumers are heard by lawmakers while they deliberate on this bill. If you have access to a large email or text list of cannabis consumers, please consider asking them to take action and contact their representatives to oppose this sales tax increase!

Feel free to forward them along this email, if that’s helpful.

REMEMBER – YOUR VOICE MATTERS!

And when we all use our voice together, we can have a huge impact!

PLEASE TRY TO SEND YOUR MESSAGE TO LEGISLATORS AS SOON AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE TO MAKE SURE WE CAN STOP THIS SALES TAX INCREASE AMENDMENT FROM MOVING FORWARD!

Together we make a difference!

Respectfully,

Casey Houlihan
Executive Director

&

Jesse Bontecou
Co-Director