MEDIA

Salinas Underground Podcast

"In this episode our guest is Joey Espinoza, a medical marijuana advocate that is helping guide Salinas implement rules for medical marijuana dispensaries. We discuss what the new regulations mean for Salinas and how they are unique from other parts of the state. This conversation is full of first hand information and a great way to quickly learn about the upcoming changes, including a city-wide vote that will finalize the whole process."

Note: "I met Joey Espinoza at a Chilli's in Monterey about a year in half ago and the man dazzled me. I knew right then and there he was going to be a game changer. Last week he gave the best interview I have ever heard about the Cannabis Industry. He is competent, ambitious, and audacious. I am proud to have him as my Deputy Director and more importantly as one of my best friends ever."
-Ryan Munevar, Executive Director Monterey County NORML

Slack Channel: #team-media

EVENTS

Monterey County Interim Ordinance Amendment and Exemption Meeting

Friday February 26 at 9 AM

168 W. Alisal St., Salinas CA 93901

Amendments to Ordinance No, 5424 and Exemptions to Draft Zoning Ordinances

D. This interim ordinance does not prohibit collective or cooperative medical
marijuana cultivation in a greenhouse or indoor cultivation site if the property owner demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Director of Planning that substantial progress towards cultivation at a greenhouse or indoor cultivation site within the jurisdiction of unincorporated Monterey County had occurred prior to July 7, 2015, and if the property owner applies for and obtains all necessary County discretionary and ministerial permits required to commence cultivation under existing regulations. "Substantial progress" shall be determined by the Director of Planning and requires the property owner to provide proof based on substantial evidence of all of the following conduct: 

1. Ownership of a viable greenhouse or indoor cultivation site, or the execution of a lease, purchase. lease option agreement, purchase agreement. or letter of intent for a viable greenhouse or indoor cultivation site;

2. Preparation of the above-referenced greenhouse or indoor cultivation site for medical marijuana cultivation:,

3. Substantial financial investment in the preparation of medical marijuana cultivation at a greenhouse or indoor cultivation site including written documentation of the purchase of applicable materials such as plumbing fixtures, electrical devices. soils, seeds, mature plants, or immature plants; 

4. Proof that the medical marijuana cultivation will be on behalf of a medical marijuana cooperative or collective: and 

5. Proof that the proposed greenhouse or indoor cultivation site existed and was legally permitted prior to July 7. 2015. Any modifications would require appropriate permits.

Slack Channel: #team-events

LEGALIZATION

Monterey County NORML Fuzzy Math Example v 2.2.docx 
(Click to Comment)

Formula to Calculate Tax Revenue for Monterey County – 

Wholesale from Cultivator → Distributor

100 facilities x 22,000 square feet per facility = 2.2M sq ft max total canopy area.

Estimated production of 20 grams per sq ft/cycle

2.2M x  20 grams per sq foot canopy = 44 Million grams of production per cycle

That’s 44,000 KG or approximately 98,214 lbs of production per cycle.

Estimated wholesale cost is between $1,500 to $3,200 per lbs.

Estimated value of wholesale is between $147,321,428.57 and $314,285,714.27 per cycle.

Assumption of 3 cycles per year = between $441,964,285.71 and  $942,857,142.81 Wholesale /yr

A Proposed 5% tax on wholesale transactions would generate between $22,098,214.28 and $47,142,857.14 /yr

Any taxation that goes beyond that will price out the cost of doing business in this county.

To put that into perspective. The County of Monterey collects $128.4M from property taxes, $20.3M from hotel taxes, and $3.6M from the Tobacco Settlement. Simply put commercial cannabis businesses could become the single largest revenue contributor to Monterey County next to property taxes.

The sensible thing would be to take that money and instead of dumping it into the general fund you automatically allocate a 3rd of it for every k-12 student registered in Monterey County, another 3rd to every single registered voter in the county in the form of a tax rebate(this is how you actually get people to vote), and the last 3rd should go to roads and infrastructure. 

NOTE: Our board and general members met last week to pregame before the first stakeholders meeting and came up with this. Granted it's not perfect and there are tons of variables to take into account but we hope you get the general idea. We are also breaking down the math for what the 15 M2 Extraction Facilities and the 15 Dispensaries would generate for the county. Please click on the google drive link above and contribute your own two cents. ;)

Slack Channel: #legalization

LEGALIZATION

Do you even know what Zone you are in? 

Click the picture above and figure it out.  ;)

Slack Channel: #legalization

MEDIA

RESOURCES

Google Drive Public Folder for Monterey County NORML

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