City Council to discuss cannabis revenue policy, and results of TOT increase survey

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A Lake Tahoe Basin Entry Fee, the Master Fee schedule, and a public opinion survey results on a possible increase to the TOT are all on the next South Lake Tahoe City Council agenda. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 27, 2024, at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall - Council Chambers at the Lake Tahoe Airport.

A presentation will be made by Chad Hayes on a Lake Tahoe Basin User Fee that will start off the meeting.

On September 26, 2023, the City Council passed a motion (4-1, Tamara Wallace voting against) to direct staff to move forward in discussions with a polling firm to poll the public on a Tourist Occupancy Tax (TOT) increase of 2 percent for general purposes. On November 21, 2023, the City Council passed a motion unanimously authorizing and directing the mayor to execute a sole source agreement with Lew Edwards Group for ballot measure consulting services in an amount not to exceed $107,500. The company polled 323 people between January 21-28, 2024. In the last election, there were 13,046 registered voters in South Lake Tahoe.

Council will hear the results of the survey which found almost two-thirds of those polled believe the City has a great need, or some need for more funding for several items, and that more than half of those polled will support a TOT increase. The business and tourism community have voiced their concerns on any more TOT raises as it would be South Lake Tahoe near the top in the country on the tax.

They will also be discussing the Cannabis Community Benefit Fee Revenue Allocation Policy. Since cannabis was legalized in the City, a percentage of the collected revenues have been distributed to local schools, government agencies, and non-profit organizations with programs or projects designed to
mitigate the potential impact of the cannabis industry.

Those reviewing the grant applications discussed whether it is appropriate to use this funding, which comes from legal, adult-serving cannabis businesses, toward programs meant to mitigate illegal/unregulated
cannabis use/abuse. While cannabis is legal for adults, it is not legal for the ages the schools and nonprofits who applied for funds serve.

For a full agenda and instructions on how to participate both in person or online, visit HERE.