Walz, DFL lawmakers diverge on how much is enoughPosted by On


Talk with Democratic lawmakers, and they’ll say it’s a matter of if — not when — Minnesota legalizes recreational marijuana.

It’s also clear that they don’t have every detail settled. Take, for example, the tax rate on marijuana sales. While Gov. Tim Walz has proposed a 15% marijuana tax, DFL lawmakers and advocates favor an 8% rate. Both are on top of the state’s 6.875% sales tax.

The higher the tax rate, the more it drives buyers to the black market, marijuana advocates say. But Walz sees it differently.

Governor Tim Walz says he’s ready to sign a bill to legalize recreational marijuana in Minnesota. (FOX 9)

“Because the evidence doesn’t show that (a black market) happens,” Walz said in an interview Thursday. “I talked to other governors, asking them. They said it’s about finding the right point where the revenues create the programs you want to see that make a difference but don’t drive people underground.”

The 19 states that’ve legalized marijuana have tax rates that are all over the place. Some states have taxes that are as low as the 8% rate that DFL lawmakers and advocates support. But others — like Washington state, where the tax is 37% on top of state sales tax — are far higher.

Democratic lawmakers have proposed spending $100…

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