State Officials announced yesterday that marijuana cultivation and excise tax collections hit 48 million dollars during the period of April to June, while representing a jump over the prior three months, is still way below expectation as to tax collections. Finance officials had estimated California would bank $185 million from excise and cultivation taxes in the first six months of broad legal sales, which kicked off Jan. 1.
But collections by midyear hit only $82 million. A bumpy roll out is being blamed but some officials are saying the California pop sales are still brisk but much of it is still from illegal sales rather than licensed and legal stores. The process of issuing licenses and a legal supply is also being blamed for the under expected sales.
