Cannabis Tax Revenue Continues to Grow Despite Pandemic

Santa Barbara County collected $2.6 million in cannabis tax revenue during the second quarter of the 2020-21 fiscal year — a 30 percent increase in the taxes collected over the same quarter last fiscal year.

Of the 118 cannabis operators in the county, the $2.6 million came from just 56 of them. Thirty-seven filed zero gross receipts, or they didn’t report any sales, which happens in certain instances, such as nursery operations. The remaining 25 operators didn’t report at all.

Despite the financial impact of the pandemic, cannabis tax revenues have continued to remain strong. The following are the top three takeaways from the county’s presentation on cannabis tax revenue over the second quarter — October 1-December 31, 2020.