JASPER COUNTY, Mo. — March was the busiest month ever for marijuana sales in the state – totaling more than 124 million dollars.
“The sales would be somewhere around $2 million. So far a month on average,” said Leslie Haase, Joplin City Finance Dir.
Sales of recreational marijuana in the city of Joplin, based on marijuana sales tax revenue.
In the first five months, Joplin has collected nearly 300 thousand dollars, the amount budgeted for the entire year.
“The estimates were anywhere about 100,000, 150,000 for each establishment in town,” said Haase.
With three marijuana dispensaries in town. One of those, Good Day Farm, is already looking to expand.
Currently operating on East 32nd Street, they’re building a new three-and-a-half million dollar location at 20th and Range Line
Which could mean even more sales, and more tax revenue for Joplin.
It’s money the city will use to help replace the recent loss of a different kind of tax revenue.
“Before this actually went into effect. The state legislators exempted sales tax on manufacturing equipment, which was a significant loss to the city. Actually, last year, it was about a million dollars,” said Haase.
The growth trend in marijuana sales tax revenue means that city officials are now weighing how much they’ll end up collecting this year… and in the future.
“We’re getting ready to start next year’s budget process and so I’ll be working on…