Santa Ana Municipal Code § 21-128 Effect of state and federal reference/authorization

This article is required for the purpose of fixing the rate of taxation for marijuana collectives/cooperatives and for the purpose of providing a tax levy for the usual and current expenses of the City of Santa Ana. The taxes required to be paid under this article are declared to be required pursuant to the taxing power of the City of Santa Ana solely for the purpose of obtaining revenue and are not regulatory permit fees.

(Ord. No. NS-2864, § 5, 12-9-14)

(a) Annual business license tax assessment for marijuana collectives/cooperatives.

(1) Every collective/cooperative whether it is organized or conducted as a "not for profit" business, a "nonprofit" business, or a "for-profit" business, shall pay an annual business license tax in accordance with Chapter 21 and the sections and subsections hereunder.

(2) For the purposes of this article, a marijuana collective/cooperative is defined in section 40-101(b) and is considered to be a business as that term is defined in section 21-3.

(3) For the purposes of this article, a collective/cooperative is not considered to be a religious or charitable organization.

(4) "Medical marijuana collective/cooperative" or "collective/cooperative" shall mean any activity regulated or permitted by chapter 40.

(5) For the purposes of this article, a marijuana collective/cooperative is not considered to be a business or person having a "specified exemption" or "specified exclusion" from business license taxation as set forth in sections 21-48 and 21-49.

(6) For the purposes of this article, a "nonprofit organization" shall mean any institution or organization that is exempted from taxes measured by income or gross receipts pursuant to Article XIII, Section 26 of the California Constitution as codified under Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 23701) of Part 11 of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code and Section 37101 (c) of the Government Code or Sub-Chapter F (commencing with Section 501) of Chapter 1 of Subtitle A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. An institution or organization operating as a collective/cooperative and claiming a gross receipts assessment business license tax exemption under this section shall have the burden of furnishing to the collector such information as the collector may require to validate the claim of exemption including, but not limited to, such a determination by the California Franchise Tax Board or any other information requested by the collector.

(7) For the purposes of this article, "gross receipts" shall mean any transfer of title or possession, exchange or barter, conditional or otherwise, in any manner or by any means whatsoever, of tangible personal property for a consideration including any monetary consideration for marijuana whatsoever, including, but not limited to, membership dues, reimbursements provided by members, regardless of form, or the total amount of cash or in-kind contributions, including all operating costs related to the growth, cultivation or provision of marijuana or any transaction related thereto. "Gross receipts" shall also include without limitation anything else of value obtained by a collective/cooperative. The term "gross receipts" shall also include the total amount of the sale price of all sales, the total amount charged or received for the performance of any act, service or employment of whatever nature it may be, whether or not such service, act or employment is done as a part of or in connection with the sale of goods, wares, merchandise, for which a charge is made or credit allowed, including all refunds, cash credits and properties of any amount or nature, any amount for which credit is allowed by the seller to the purchaser without any deduction therefrom, on account of the cost of the property sold, the cost of materials used, the labor or service cost, interest paid or payable, losses, or any other expense whatsoever; provided that cash discounts allowed or payment on sales shall not be included. "Gross receipts" shall also include the amount of any federal, manufacturer's or importer's excise tax included in the price of property sold, even though the manufacturer or importer is also the retailer thereof and whether or not the amount of such tax is stated as a separate charge. "Gross receipts" shall not include the amount of any federal tax imposed on or with respect to retail sales whether or not the amount of such tax is stated as a separate charge. "Gross receipts" shall not include the amount of any federal tax imposed on or with respect to retail sales whether imposed upon the retailer or the consumer and regardless of whether or not the amount of federal tax is stated to customers as a separate charge, or any California state, city or city and county sales or use tax required by law to be included in or added to the purchase price and collected from the consumer or purchaser, or such part of the sales price of any property previously sold and returned by the purchaser to the seller which is refunded by the seller by way of cash or credit allowances given or taken as part payment on any property so accepted for resale. "Gross receipts" shall be calculated without any deduction on account of any of the following:

(i) The cost of tangible property sold or bartered;

(ii) The cost of materials or products used, labor or service cost, interest paid, losses, or other expense; or

(iii) The cost of transportation of the marijuana, or other property or product.

(b) Business license tax rates for marijuana collectives/cooperatives.

(1) Every collective/cooperative, excepting a qualified "nonprofit organization," whether it is organized or conducted as a "not for profit" business, a "nonprofit" business, or a "for-profit" business, shall pay a separate business license tax at a rate of up to ten (10) percent of the gross receipts generated or otherwise received for each branch establishment or separate property location of the business. The gross receipts tax shall be initially set at a rate of five (5) percent. The maximum tax rate shall not exceed ten (10) percent of gross receipts. This tax shall not be adjusted for inflation pursuant to section 21-121.

(2) Notwithstanding the maximum tax rate of ten (10) percent of gross receipts imposed under subsection (b)(1), the city council may in its discretion at any time by ordinance implement a lower gross receipts tax rate for all marijuana collectives/cooperatives, as defined in such ordinance, subject to the maximum rate of ten (10) percent of gross receipts. The city council may by ordinance increase any such gross receipts tax rate from time to time, not to exceed the maximum gross receipts tax rate established under subsection (b)(1).

(3) Effective January 1, 2018, the gross receipts tax initially set at a rate of five (5) percent pursuant to subsection (b)(1), shall be increased to a rate of six (6) percent. The maximum tax rate shall not exceed ten (10) percent of gross receipts. This tax rate shall not be adjusted for inflation pursuant to section 21-121.

(4) Effective January 1, 2023, the gross receipts tax is set at a rate of six (6) percent pursuant to subsection (b)(3), shall be decreased to a rate of five (5) percent. The maximum tax rate shall not exceed ten (10) percent of gross receipts. This tax rate shall not be adjusted for inflation pursuant to section 21-121.

(5) As part of the gross receipts tax imposed by this article, each collective/cooperative shall pay a minimum basic rate of two thousand dollars ($2,000.00) annually for each separate branch location or separate property location of the business.

(c) Modification, repeal or amendment. The city council may repeal the ordinance codified in this article, or amend it in a manner which does not result in an increase in the tax or taxes imposed herein, without further voter approval. The city council may likewise by ordinance adopt and add additional provisions to any other article of this chapter and relate them to this article, or amend any existing provisions of any article of this chapter as they may already relate to this article in any manner which does not result in an increase in the tax or taxes imposed herein, without further voter approval. If the city council repeals said ordinance or any provision of this article, it may subsequently reenact it without voter approval, as long as the reenacted ordinance or section does not result in an increase in the tax or taxes imposed herein.

(d) Administration—Rules, regulations, and guidelines; interpretation/clarification. In order to aid in the city's collection of taxes due under this article and to ensure that all marijuana collectives/cooperatives are taxed consistently to the best of the city's ability, the collector, with the concurrence of the city attorney, may promulgate rules, regulations, and guidelines, to implement and administer this article including, but not limited to, rules, regulations, and guidelines harmonizing other provisions of this chapter with the provisions of this article in any manner not inconsistent with the intent of this article and which does not result in an increase in the tax or taxes imposed herein. The collector may also, with the concurrence of the city attorney, interpret or clarify the methodology of the tax, or any definition applicable to the tax, so long as such interpretation or clarification (even if contrary to some prior interpretation or clarification) is not inconsistent with the language of this article.

(e) Occasional transactions—Exemptions.

(1) The provisions of this article shall not apply to persons having no fixed place of business within the city who come into the city for the purpose of transacting a specific item of marijuana collective/cooperative business at the request of a specific patient, client or customer, provided that such person does not come into the city for the purpose of transacting business on more than five (5) days during any calendar year.

(2) For any person not having a fixed place of business within the city who comes into the city for the purpose of transacting collective/cooperative activities, the business tax payable by such person may be apportioned by the collector in accordance with this chapter.

(f) Reporting and remittance. Beginning as set forth in subsection (k) below, and monthly thereafter, each marijuana collective/cooperative (except qualified nonprofit organizations exempt from taxes measured by income or gross receipts) required to pay a tax based on gross receipts under this article, shall report to the city any gross receipts received during the preceding monthly reporting period and shall likewise remit to the city the taxes due and owing during said period. For purposes of this section, month shall mean calendar month, and taxes shall begin to accrue on the date that a person or entity first receives a business license or other permit to operate as a collective/cooperative.

The payment of the two thousand dollars ($2,000.00) minimum basic rate gross receipts tax required annually for each separate branch location or separate property location of the business in accordance subsection (b)(3), shall be made annually prior to the beginning of the fiscal year beginning April first of the current year and expiring on the 31st day of March of the following year. In the case of a new collective/cooperative the minimum basic rate gross receipts tax shall be paid in advance prior to any new business activity being undertaken. Every new licensee shall pay in advance an amount equal to one-quarter (¼) of the annual minimum basic rate gross receipts tax, for each quarter and fraction of a quarter remaining during the period for which the new license is issued.

(g) Delinquent date—Penalty. Any individual or entity who fails to pay the taxes required by this article when due shall be subject to penalties and interest as set forth in accordance with this chapter. The collector is not required to send a delinquency or other notice or bill to any person subject to the provisions of this chapter and failure to send such notice or bill shall not affect the validity of any tax or penalty due under the provisions of this chapter.

(h) Payment of tax does not authorize unlawful business.

(1) The payment of a business tax required by this article, and its acceptance by the city, shall not entitle any person to carry on any collective/cooperative unless the person has complied with all of the requirements of this Code and all other applicable laws, nor to carry on any collective/cooperative in any building or on any premises in the event that such building or premises are situated in a zone or locality in which the conduct of such collective/cooperative is in violation of any law.

(2) No tax paid under the provisions of this article shall be construed as authorizing the conduct or continuance of any illegal or unlawful business, or any legal business in an illegal manner, or any business in violation of any ordinance of the city. Nothing in this article implies or authorizes that any activity connected with the distribution or possession of marijuana is legal unless otherwise authorized and allowed by California and federal law. Nothing in this section shall be applied or construed as authorizing the sale of marijuana.

(i) Business license tax certificate—Required. There are imposed upon all persons engaged in transacting and carrying on any collective/cooperative business activity in the city taxes in the amounts prescribed in this article. It shall be unlawful for any person, either for him or herself or for any other person, to commence, transact or carry on any business in the city without first having procured a business license from the city under this chapter and having paid the taxes set forth in this article, and without complying with any and all applicable provisions contained in this chapter. The carrying on of any collective/cooperative without complying with all the provisions of this article shall constitute a separate violation of this chapter for each and every day that such collective/cooperative is so carried on.

(j) Classification of business license assessment type—Term and renewal. The business license issued to marijuana collectives/cooperatives shall be classed as a gross receipts assessment type, issued for the same term of license as set forth in subsection 21-71(c) and shall be subject to renewal in accordance with sections 21-72(c), 21-73(c), and 21-77.

(k) Operative date. Upon the approval by the majority of the voters of the city at the November 4, 2014 general election, the taxes imposed by this article shall become operative and shall be applied by the collector upon all marijuana collectives/cooperatives.

(l) Operative date of increased or decreased gross receipts tax rate. The gross receipts tax set initially at a rate of five (5) percent pursuant to subsection (b)(1) [(Ordinance No. NS-2864, Section 5, adopted 12-9-14)] and increased to a rate of six (6) percent effective January 1, 2018, pursuant to subsection (b)(3) [(Ordinance No. NS-2930, Section 8, adopted 11-21-17)], shall be decreased to a rate of five (5) percent effective January 1, 2023, pursuant to subsection (b)(4) [(Ordinance No. NS-3026, § 8, adopted 10-4-22)].

(m) Notwithstanding the tax rates imposed herein under subsection (l), the City Council may, in its discretion, at any time by resolution, implement any lower or higher tax rate it deems appropriate, not to exceed the maximum rate established by subsections (b)(2).

(Ord. No. NS-2864, § 5, 12-9-14; Ord. No. NS-2930, § 8, 11-21-17; Ord. No. NS-3026, § 8, 10-4-22, eff. 1-1-23)

Editor's note— Sec. 21-127, subsection (l), effective January 1, 2023, is hereby adopted by reference and is subject to amendment from time to time by resolution.

Unless specifically provided otherwise, any reference to a state or federal statute in this article or chapter shall mean such statute as it may be amended from time to time, provided that such reference to a statute herein shall not include any subsequent amendment thereto, or to any subsequent change of interpretation thereto by a state or federal agency or court of law with the duty to interpret such law, to the extent that such amendment or change of interpretation would require voter approval under California law, or to the extent that such change would result in a tax decrease. Only to the extent voter approval would otherwise be required or a tax decrease would result, the prior version of the statute (or interpretation) shall remain applicable; for any application or situation that would not require voter approval or result in a decrease of a tax, provisions of the amended statute (or new interpretation) shall be applicable to the maximum possible extent.

To the extent that the city's authorization to collect or impose any tax imposed under this article is expanded or limited as a result of changes in state or federal law, no amendment or modification of this article shall be required to conform the tax to those changes, and the tax shall be imposed and collected to the full extent of the authorization up to the full amount of the tax imposed under this article.

(Ord. No. NS-2864, § 5, 12-9-14)

Any person violating any of the provisions of this article or any regulation or rule passed in accordance herewith, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be punishable by the maximum penalties provided for in Penal Code Section 19.

(Ord. No. NS-2864, § 5, 12-9-14)

Should any provision of this article, or its application to any person or circumstance, be determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unlawful, unenforceable or otherwise void, that determination shall have no effect on any other provision of this article or chapter or the application of this article or chapter to any other person or circumstance and, to that end, the provisions hereof are severable.

(Ord. No. NS-2864, § 5, 12-9-14)

Section 21-67 notwithstanding, business licenses issued to collective/cooperatives pursuant to this article shall be transferable or assignable upon presentation of a valid regulatory safety permit issued in the name of the transferee or assignee.

(Ord. No. NS-2918, § 12, 7-5-17)

(a) Owner/Operator's duty to notify.

i. Termination of business. A medicinal marijuana collective/cooperative owner/operator (also referred to herein as medicinal cannabis retail business) who is terminating their business shall notify the collector in writing of such termination at least ninety (90) days in advance of the date of termination of business. If the decision to terminate business is made within less than a ninety (90) day period prior to the date of termination, the owner/operator shall then immediately notify the collector of said decision and the date of termination of business.

ii. Sale, assignment, or transfer of business. A medicinal cannabis retail business owner/operator who is selling, assigning, or otherwise transferring their business (hereinafter collectively referred to as transferor) shall notify the collector in writing of such sale, assignment, or transfer at least ninety (90) days in advance of the date of the sale, assignment, or transfer and shall notify the collector in writing of the name and address of the purchaser, assignee, transferee, or other successor in interest (hereinafter collectively referred to as successor) unless the decision to sell, assign, or otherwise transfer their business was made within less than a ninety (90) day period prior to the sale, assignment, or transfer, in which case the transferor shall then immediately notify the successor of the successor's responsibility for unpaid business license taxes, including penalties, interest, charges, fees, or costs (hereinafter collectively referred to as business license tax liabilities) for the period prior to the sale, assignment, or transfer as set forth in subsections (d) and (e) below, and shall further certify in writing to the collector that the successor was notified of the requirements of this Article regarding their responsibility for unpaid business license tax liabilities.

(b) Remitting and reporting requirements. Each medicinal cannabis retail business owner/operator upon the sale, assignment, or other transfer, or termination of business for any reason shall, on or before the last day of the month following the sale, assignment, transfer, or termination of business, file a final return to the collector on City approved forms, of the total gross receipts received, adjustments to gross receipts, the amount of business license tax collected for the reporting period, remittances made, if any, and the balance of the business license tax due, if any, shall be remitted to the collector.

(c) Closeout audit. After filing the final return and remitting the balance due, the medicinal cannabis retail business owner/operator shall make its records of account available for a closeout audit by the collector, his or her revenue officers, or duly authorized employees or agents of the City. The decision to perform a closeout audit shall be made solely at the discretion of the collector. If, upon closeout audit, or by means of other information available to them, the collector determines that the owner/operator selling, assigning, or otherwise transferring, or terminating their business is found to have satisfied all business license tax liabilities, the collector shall issue to such business owner/operator a certificate of nonliability.

If, upon closeout audit, or by means of other information available to them, the collector determines that the owner/operator selling, assigning, or otherwise transferring, or terminating their business is deficient in either their return or remittance, or both, the collector shall immediately notify such owner/operator of the amount of the net deficiency, plus applicable penalties, interest, charges, fees, or costs. Upon such owner's/operator's remittance of all business license tax liabilities owing, the collector shall issue a certificate of nonliability.

(d) Successor's duty to notify. If a medicinal cannabis retail business owner/operator decides to sell, assign, or otherwise transfer their business, their successor shall notify the collector of the date of the sale, assignment, or other transfer at least ninety (90) days before the date of the sale, assignment, or transfer. It shall be the duty of the successor to obtain written verification from the collector's office that the transferor does not have or is not liable for any outstanding business license taxes liabilities. After the successor seeks written verification from the collector's office, if the collector notifies the successor that the transferor has or is liable for any outstanding amount of business license tax liabilities, the successor shall withhold an amount equal to such outstanding business license tax liabilities until the transferor produces a certificate of nonliability stating the nonliability of the transferor for payment of business license tax liabilities. If the transferor does not present a certificate of nonliability within ninety (90) days after such sale, assignment, or other transfer, the successor shall deposit the withheld amount with the collector pending settlement of the account of the transferor.

If the decision to sell, assign, or otherwise transfer was made within less than a ninety (90) day period prior to the date of the sale, assignment, or other transfer, the successor shall notify the collector of the sale, assignment, or transfer immediately and shall withhold an amount equal to the sum of the transferor's last three (3) months' of reported and remitted business license taxes until the transferor produces a certificate of nonliability stating the nonliability of the transferor for payment of business license tax liabilities. If the transferor does not present a certificate of nonliability within ninety (90) days after such sale, assignment, or other transfer, the successor shall deposit the withheld amount with the collector pending settlement of the account of the transferor.

(e) Joint and several liability. If the successor fails to withhold the applicable amount required under subsection (d) they shall become jointly and severally liable along with the transferor for the payment of the full amount of the transferor's business license tax liabilities and shall likewise become jointly and severally liable along with the transferor for future penalties and/or interest charges as may be applicable as set forth in sections 21-83, 21-84, and 21-85 until all business license tax liabilities are satisfied.

(f) Certificate of nonliability. Upon application of a medicinal cannabis retail business operator/owner who is terminating their business, or a transferor, or a successor, for a certificate of nonliability, the collector, after conducting an audit therefore, as he or she may deem necessary, shall issue the certificate if the owner's/operator's, transferor's, or successor's business license tax liabilities have been satisfied. If any business license tax liabilities remain outstanding, or if additional business license tax liabilities have accrued subsequent to the date of application, the collector shall give notice to the operator/owner, transferor, or successor of the applicable amount which must be fully paid as a condition of issuing their respective certificate of nonliability. Where a transferor's business license tax liabilities have been partially or wholly paid by their successor to the collector pursuant to subsection (e) or partially or wholly satisfied by their successor's action of withholding and depositing amounts with the collector pursuant to subsection (d), no certificate of nonliability shall be issued to the transferor without the prior written consent of their successor.

(Ord. No. NS-2972, § 5, 9-3-19)

The terms vertical integration and horizontal integration as used in this Article shall have the following meanings: Vertical integration shall refer to cannabis businesses operating at different points in the same supply chain from cultivation to retail sales, as long as they share at least eighty (80) per cent underlying common ownership, regardless of form of business structure, and are engaged in interparty sales and/or transfers of goods. Horizontal integration shall refer to cannabis businesses operating at the same point in the same supply chain, as long as they share at least eighty (80) per cent underlying common ownership, regardless of form of business structure, and are engaged in interparty sales and/or transfers of goods. For purposes of this Article the term "cannabis businesses" shall include marijuana collectives/cooperatives as defined in section 18-611 and commercial cannabis businesses as defined in section 40-2, but shall not include commercial cannabis businesses engaged in testing facilities or testing laboratory businesses.

(Ord. No. NS-2972, § 6, 9-3-19)