Sutherlin Voters Support Marijuana Sales Tax While Rejecting Businesses That Would Generate It

SUTHERLIN, Ore. - Sutherlin voters appear to be supporting a tax on marijuana sales while simultaneously rejecting a proposal that would allow those sales to take place within city limits.

It's an interesting combination emerging from Tuesday's election, and one that could leave the city with an approved tax but no businesses to collect it from.

According to unofficial results from the Oregon Secretary of State, approximately 76% of voters support Measure 10-218, which would establish a 3% local tax on retail marijuana sales.

However, a separate measure that would repeal Sutherlin's existing ban on marijuana facilities is receiving majority opposition.

As of the latest results posted at 7:15 a.m. Wednesday, November 4, the numbers stand at:

Measure 10-217: Repeal Marijuana Business Ban

• Yes: 1,370 votes (44.48%)
• No: 1,710 votes (55.52%)

Measure 10-218: Establish 3% Marijuana Sales Tax

• Yes: 2,311 votes (75.87%)
• No: 735 votes (24.13%)

If those results hold, Sutherlin will maintain its prohibition on marijuana facilities despite voters overwhelmingly supporting a tax on retail marijuana sales.

How Can Both Measures Receive Those Results?

The two measures asked voters to make separate decisions.

Measure 10-217 would repeal a prohibition on marijuana facilities that Sutherlin voters originally approved in 2016. Approval would allow qualifying marijuana businesses to operate under updated city regulations and applicable state requirements.

Measure 10-218, meanwhile, would authorize the city to collect a 3% tax on retail marijuana sales.

The catch is that the tax depends on marijuana retailers being allowed to operate within the city.

With the business ban remaining in place under the current results, there would be no authorized retail marijuana sales within Sutherlin for the city to tax.

That means the city could have voter approval for a marijuana sales tax without generating any revenue from it.

What Do the Results Tell Us?

The voting totals highlight an important distinction between allowing marijuana businesses and taxing their sales.

While a majority of voters currently oppose removing the city's business ban, a considerably larger majority supports collecting local tax revenue if retail marijuana sales are permitted.

That does not necessarily mean voters contradicted themselves. Some residents may support taxing marijuana sales if they occur while still opposing the establishment of marijuana businesses in Sutherlin.

Because the measures were voted on separately, the results do not reveal exactly why individual voters made their choices.

The outcome also means Sutherlin would continue operating under its existing marijuana business restrictions unless those regulations change in the future.

Results Are Still Unofficial

The November 3 election results remain unofficial, and additional ballots may change the totals before certification.

For now, the numbers tell an unusual story: Sutherlin voters are largely saying yes to collecting marijuana tax revenue, but no to allowing the businesses that would generate it.

Residents can follow the latest unofficial results through the Oregon Secretary of State's Douglas County election results page.