A legislative committee has signed off on rules to regulate medical marijuana dispensaries. But the vote hinged on new legislation to fix a possible tax issue.
The Department of Health and Human Services wrote up the new rules, detailing how the state’s four future dispensaries, or Alternative Treatment Centers, will be regulated. But during a legislative committee meeting to approve those rules, questions came up over whether the nonprofit dispensaries would be exempt from local property taxes. Something Republican Representative Rick Ladd of Haverhill did not like.
“They’re still gonna receive the services of the city (i.e. fire, police, etc.). Should they not have to pay the same property tax that other businesses are paying?”
Committee Chair, Republican Senator John Reagan of Deerfield, says he will submit new legislation to require they pay taxes.
Next, the state will start to take applications for a license.