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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW How you can conserve water at home ... Stouts fire burns 15,000 acres and counting ... 'Mitigation banking' ... How you can conserve water at home ... Stouts fire burns 15,000 acres and counting ... 'Mitigation banking' ... SPECIAL ELECTION Voter turnout at 29 percent for Jackson County pot tax Comment By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune Posted Mar. 6, 2015 at 3:24 PM By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune Posted Mar. 6, 2015 at 3:24 PM » Social News Voter turnout stood at 29 percent Friday for a special election to decide whether Jackson County will adopt a marijuana tax, election officials said. That is about average for this stage in a special election, said Jackson County Elections Deputy Donna Connor. Ballots are due by 8 p.m. Tuesday. Election officials are recommending against mailing in ballots at this point. "It's definitely too late to mail," Connor said. Official ballot drop sites are the Jackson County Elections Office at 1101 W. Main St., Suite 201, Medford, and public libraries in Ashland, Central Point, Eagle Point and Rogue River. If approved by voters Tuesday, Measure 15-133 would authorize a tax of up to 25 percent on the sale of medical and recreational marijuana products.The Jackson County Board of Commissioners would set the actual tax rate. The tax would apply to unincorporated areas of the county outside cities. The measure also would authorize a medical and recreational marijuana tax on growers of $35 per ounce on marijuana flowers, $10 per ounce on marijuana leaves and $5 per immature marijuana plant. The growers' tax would not apply to people with Oregon Medical Marijuana Program cards producing medical marijuana solely for their own consumption, or to people producing recreational marijuana solely for their own consumption. The taxes would be retroactive to Dec. 1, 2014, with collection of the taxes beginning April 1. Oregon voters in November 2014 approved the legalization of recreational marijuana for adults 21 and older starting July 1 across the state. Retail sales under Measure 91 will become legal Jan. 1, 2016. Measure 91 enacts a state tax and bars local jurisdictions from adopting their own marijuana taxes. But dozens of cities and counties have adopted their own taxes in hopes the Oregon Legislature will allow them. Jackson County does not have an estimate of revenue that would be collected if a county tax goes into effect. Oregon officials estimate a state tax on marijuana will yield $17 million to $40 million annually. Measure 91 allocates 40 percent of the revenue to schools, 20 percent for mental health services and drug and alcohol treatment, 15 percent for state police, 20 percent for local law enforcement and 5 percent for the Oregon Health Authority. Staff reporter Vickie Aldous can be reached at 541-776-4486 or [email protected] . Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/VickieAldous .   By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune Posted Mar. 6, 2015 at 3:24 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501