Phoenix voters will decide on recreational pot tax, mayor's seat - News - MailTribune.com - Medford, OR

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Phoenix voters will decide on recreational pot tax, mayor's seat Friday Aug 26, 2016 at 4:15 PM Aug 26, 2016 at 4:15 PM PHOENIX — Voters will decide if the city should enact a 3 percent tax on recreational marijuana sales and choose between two candidates for mayor at the Nov. 8 general election. Filing for city offices, which also include three City Council seats, closed Thursday. City Councilor Chris Luz is seeking the mayor’s post, a two-year position. He will be opposed by Ben McCormick. Should Luz win, the City Council would appoint a councilor to fill that vacancy when the new year begins. Luz was re-elected to a four-year council term in 2014. Incumbent two-term mayor Jeff Bellah had announced earlier that he would not seek re-election. Proceeds from a marijuana tax, if approved, would be used for public safety, education and parks. Specific allocation amounts to those areas were not specified when the council approved sending the issue to the ballot in May. Fireside Dispensary on South Pacific Highway and Top Shelf Wellness Center in the Shoppes at Exit 24 currently sell recreational marijuana in town. A ballot explanation projects annual revenue of $15,000 or more, but the city attorney told the council there was little way to predict actual income. Filings for council seats equaled the number available. Terry Baker, Stuart Warren and Sarah Westover have filed for election to the three, four-year openings. Incumbents Carolyn Bartell, Stan Bartell and Terry Helfrich, all-multi-term councilors, chose to not seek reelection.