TAYLORVILLE, Ill. (WAND) - The city of Taylorville approved a 3 percent tax on recreational marijuana before even deciding if it will allow cannabis to be sold in the city.
Ward 3 Alderwoman Megan Bryant said the city council voted almost unanimously to pass the 3 percent tax.
"We had six yes votes, with one abstention," Bryant said. "If we do decide, which we have not, and we have not passed anything that says Taylorville will sell or dispense cannabis but if we do decide, we are able to put a 3 percent tax on (it)."
Since a medical dispensary is not already in place in Taylorville, a recreational dispensary could not open in the city until after January of 2021.
The mayor, Bruce Barry, said the reason why the council voted on the taxation so far in advance is because of a statewide deadline.
"We had to have this ordinance in place by Sept. 20," Barry said. "We had to do it either last night or at the first meeting in September."
The aldermen who were for the taxation hope the extra revenue would benefit city-wide projects.
"If you know anything about Taylorville's finances, you know we do struggle," Bryant said. "We do have needs that we need to produce revenue to meet, (with) one of them being the lake dredging, our streets."
The mayor said anyone with questions or concerns can call his office.
