Hi Friend,
First and foremost, our appreciation and salute to all State, County and City Firefighters who are protecting us from the most dreadful wildfires in California in a century.
To date, over 2.2 million acres of land have been scorched in 25 counties – including Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Monterey. There’s been more than 7,606 fires statewide destroying an estimated 150 million trees. We send our prayers and thoughts to all firefighters, their families and the victims of these devastating burns.
Residents of North County in particular please be careful and diligent about smoke and air pollution. Avoid being outdoors and exposed to fire generated smoke and excessive heat.
Please follow the guidelines of both the Air Quality Boards of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties.
Click below to learn more:
https://www.ourair.org/wildfire-smoke-and-health-infographic/
https://www.slocleanair.org/air-quality/wildfire.php
More Cannabis Tax Revenues
Over the past two fiscal years (2018 – 2020) Santa Barbara County has collected $19 million dollars. During the last reported fiscal quarter (April – June), Cannabis Farmers paid more than $5.5 million dollars in taxes to the County.
“It is important to understand that this revenue is significant … where other entities are cutting back dramatically their public services”, declared Supervisor Das Williams.
Santa Barbara County has dedicated 297 acres for cannabis farming, mostly in the Lompoc Valley with 104 acres, followed by Santa Ynez Valley with 97 acres, Carpinteria with 67 acres and Santa Maria with 19 acres for cultivation.
Governor Newsom’s executive order declaring the ‘cannabis supply-chain’ essential in March provided both marketplace certainty and regulatory reliance during an economic downturn experiencing massive unemployment, especially in the hospitality and food service sectors.
Our very own Sara Rotman, CEO of Busy Bee’s Organics, and her husband Nate Diaz were recently interviewed by Bloomberg TV (click to view) underscoring these efforts and how appreciative farmers are in doing what they love and retaining their local workforce.
Trends in Cannabis
A survey of 10,000 California Cannabis Consumers have shown a propensity to reduce or replace alcohol and pharmaceutical consumption to find relief and enjoyment from cannabis. See report here.
High Tax Rates Push Cannabis Consumers out of the Legal Market: The Importance of Proper State and Local Cannabis Tax Policy. See report here.
Other News:
Vintner’s 3rd Wine Bid Fails, Stephen Pepe of Clos Pepe Vineyards
Spotlight:
Lompoc Mayor, Jenelle Osborne has been a leader on a mission. Her passion and energy to address and find practical solutions for the all the residents of Lompoc is exemplary. As Mayor, she has led efforts to attract various elements of the cannabis industry – including manufacturing, processing, laboratory testing and retail to anchor their operations in the City of Lompoc. As such, even during the COVID Pandemic, the City continues to experience economic growth and job creation. Moreover, Mayor Osborne is a dedicated public servant with unique skills to also address the area’s social ills of poverty, income inequality and social equity. She has a deep understanding of how public and private partnerships can improve the quality of life for all residents, especially the most vulnerable. Her optimistic energy is contagious and merits consideration of our support. Click here to learn more.
