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Fraser OKs pot-tax ballot question

Reid Tulley
rtulley@skyhidailynews.com

FRASER —The Fraser Town Board voted to place a question on the November 2013 ballot, asking Fraser residents if the town should impose an excise tax on the sale of recreational marijuana in the town.

The board, which convened on Wednesday, July 17, also voted to place a temporary moratorium on the licensing of any retail marijuana establishments in the town, effective now until January 23.

Since Colorado voters passed Amendment 64 last year, the state has been working to organize how retail marijuana stores will be operated. State legislators decided to give medical marijuana dispensaries first crack at the recreational sale of the drug by allowing them a 90-day window to transition existing medical marijuana facilities to recreational retail stores, before allowing new businesses to operate.



Dan Volpe, the owner of Serene Wellness Fraser, Grand County’s only medical marijuana dispensary, was present at the meeting and indicated he would attempt to make the transition.

He also asked for feedback from the Fraser board and the representative of the Winter Park and Fraser Police Department, who commented they have not received any complaints about the business since it opened its doors in April of this year.



The question to place an excise tax on recreational marijuana sales on the November 2013 ballot will ask Fraser voters to impose a 5 percent tax on the sale of the drug locally.

The state will also ask voters to tax the sale of the drug during the November election and placed a tax cap of 15 percent on the drug.

In order to make the transition to a retail shop, the shop must meet stricter packaging requirements such as potency labels and purchasing limits, as well as safety standards surrounding how the drug would be produced and sold.

Reid Tulley can be reached at 970-887-3334


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