Crawford County Commission Considers Marijuana Sales Tax On April Ballot

Crawford County commissioners are waiting on a recommendation from Prosecuting Attorney David Smith before going forth with a measure on the April ballot that would place a 3 percent tax on marijuana sales.

The commission must vote to put the proposal on the ballot by Jan. 24, which is the final certification date across Missouri.

Even if the commission doesn’t put it on the ballot in April, they could still do it again next year, said County Clerk John Martin.

Many counties and municipalities in Missouri will seek the 3 percent tax for their respective jurisdictions this April, including the city of Bourbon.

Amendment 3, which legalized the recreational use and sale of marijuana, allowed jurisdictions to apply the tax to sales.

The county’s 3 percent sales tax would be charged along with the state’s 6 percent tax.

Before the commission votes to put it on the ballot, however, they want Smith’s opinion on what the tax money can be used for.

Sheriff Darin Layman said the tax could be used for “law enforcement,” which is a broad spectrum. Law enforcement can apply to everything from the sheriff’s department, court system and prosecuting attorney’s office.

The tax cannot be used for general revenue.

“We need (Smith) to clarify what “law enforcement” means and make sure all entities get their portion,” Layman said.

Circuit Court Clerk Karen Harlan said she could use some of the money to hire staff to expunge past cases.

Layman said it was his understanding, through Smith, that expunging cases will be a civil matter and the courts won’t have to be as involved.

Harlan said she was hearing through the circuit court clerk association and judges that they will have to go through past cases.

She also said they have until March to work on the first batch and July to do another batch.

Layman said there is “a lot of gray area” and that of Missouri’s 114 prosecuting attorneys, only 12 are on the same page as to how Amendment 3 will work.

“There are a lot of interpretations,” Layman said.

Amendment 3 was passed by 53 percent of voters last November and possession for adults 21 and older became legal on Dec. 8.

Retail licenses are scheduled to be approved by Feb. 6 and dispensaries can begin selling cannabis.