On the November 8, 2022, General Municipal Election ballot, Montclair residents will vote on two cannabis-related measures: Measure R – the Montclair Cannabis Business License Tax Measure and the Measure II – the Montclair Cannabis Legalization Advisory Measure.

Measure R seeks to generate locally controlled funds through a gross receipts tax of up to 7% on a variety of commercial cannabis businesses, including retail stores, delivery, testing, manufacturing, and cultivation.

If approved by a majority of Montclair voters, the estimated $3.5 million per year in local revenue will generate additional funds for public safety and 911 emergency response, infrastructure and street maintenance, parks and recreation, and youth and senior programs. All revenue raised by this measure would remain in Montclair to benefit Montclair residents and businesses.

What does Measure R Mean for Montclair?

If approved by voters, Measure R would only apply to individuals or businesses engaging in cannabis businesses and does not increase other taxes on Montclair residents or businesses.

The Funding from Measure R Could Help Support:

• Public safety services including police, fire, and 911 emergency response
• Street and sidewalk maintenance
• Capital improvements
• Parks, recreation facilities, and open space
• Senior Center programs and services, including meals, transportation, and wellness
• City-funded after-school and summer recreational programs that serve children in the community
• Low-cost healthcare and education services
• Assistance for individuals experiencing homelessness

Montclair and Cannabis

The City of Montclair currently does not allow for cannabis-related businesses to operate within the City. However, the City is considering lifting the current ban and allowing for cannabis retail stores, as well as the delivery, testing, manufacturing, and cultivation of cannabis within City limits.

Cannabis businesses operating in neighboring cities are legally allowed to make deliveries into Montclair, but currently, Montclair receives no tax revenue in connection with these deliveries. Measure R would ensure that these businesses would be subject to a gross receipts tax for conducting business within Montclair.

Measure II - Montclair Cannabis Legalization Advisory Measure

The City Council also voted to place an advisory measure – Measure II – the Montclair Cannabis Legalization Advisory Measure – on the ballot to ask Montclair voters if they would support the legalization of commercial cannabis businesses in the City.  The outcome of this measure will not result in a change in the legal status of commercial cannabis businesses in Montclair but serves to advise the City Council on the preference of Montclair residents.

In connection with the passage of Measure R and the potential legalization of commercial cannabis businesses, the City would be able to develop rules for cannabis storefront dispensaries and non-storefront delivery services that best serve the residents of Montclair, as well as develop further rules and regulations for other types of commercial cannabis businesses such as cultivation, manufacturing, and testing.

In addition, if legalized in the future, any cannabis operations in Montclair would be required to follow strict rules and regulations enacted by the City, including requirements from the State’s Bureau of Cannabis Control. This includes prohibiting cannabis businesses within 600 feet of any K-12 school, daycare, youth center, public parks, libraries, and drug abuse recovery or treatment facilities.

Accountability and Local Control

The potential revenue raised by Measure R would be subject to strict accountability requirements providing that the funds are placed in the City’s General Fund and that all spending will be disclosed to the public and available online.

How Measures R and II will Appear on the Ballot