Oakland Pot-Growing Plan Worries Small Bud Tenders

[Cruzin]

Local growers, moms and pops, whatever, pay taxes on what they do. This measure is incredibly myopic and just reflects more of why our local government is failing. Instead of spending the money they have correctly, they search for more.

In my day job i sell to government and i can tell you they are run horribly from their technology infrastructure to overpaid over occupied jobs (especially the city of Oakland). The problem is them and they are determined to make a case to take good peoples income away. Yes we are concerned about our profits and our income. Thats how we pay for our bills and take care of our children. These grow giants are worried about how many millions they are going to make.

 

[miltonchitlin]

Yes4Prop215
You fancy these grows as a mom and pop when really they're more like an illegal alien working for cash and not contributing to the tax structure at all. When they set their house on fire like they've done 200 times the last few years it's some working stiff that get's the bill for the firetruck to come and put out their house. They've had 14 years to regulate, inspect and pay the tax on their enterprise. When someone steps up to the plate to do that they sound like it's their birthright to a tax free income.

Eventually someone willing to pay the taxes is going to surface, and the city council won't have much choice but to let them.

 

[Yes4Prop215]

^none of my growers ever had a fire. most of the growers i know pay a ton of taxes on buying supplies for the tools of the trade. taxes get filtered back to the government through all those purchases at home depot, hydro stores, walmart, and on all the stuff they spend their profits on.

they probably make more tax revenue off illegal growers and dealers than they will off legalized weed.

i have no problem with the clubs charging tax, etc.

 

[THE PABLOS]

Perhaps they should do away with income and state tax.....just have a straight tax across the board.....that would catch everybody. There would no longer be under the table workers.....and all the hard working American types can rest at ease without feeling they are burdened with the load of a bunch of dead beat growers.

Let's start there.....fix that problem 1st. Hell....the government would have been getting paid better for all the illicit commerce....over all these years....and the worker bees would feel gratified knowing all their fellow bees are a part of the hive.....buzzing in the same direction.. for the same causes.....for the collective good of all.

Safe..secure....honored to be a part.

 

[Tommy Trichome]

Prop215 - Get a job motherfucker people that work for a living are tired of your 1.5 hour-a-day work schedule and your tax free corvette.

Yes4Prop215
You fancy these grows as a mom and pop when really they're more like an illegal alien working for cash and not contributing to the tax structure at all. When they set their house on fire like they've done 200 times the last few years it's some working stiff that get's the bill for the firetruck to come and put out their house. They've had 14 years to regulate, inspect and pay the tax on their enterprise. When someone steps up to the plate to do that they sound like it's their birthright to a tax free income.

Eventually someone willing to pay the taxes is going to surface, and the city council won't have much choice but to let them.

Fuck you! You better not be smokin' my fine meds asshole!

I'm a small (5Kw) legal 215 care giver (have valid recs to cover all my plants) - I pay taxes - I work a minimum of 30 hours a week - I can't afford a car - my electrical system was put in by a union electrician and is safer than 99% of the new houses being built - and I pay for my PG&E!!

 

[pearlemae]

I see the large corporations going for the money. They will not only get to grow huge amounts of weed, but they will get laws passed so the small guy will still be an outlaw. As for Walmart when the corp dudes see the money to make, they'll jump on the wagon. Get your weed cheap a Sam's club! Its all about the money the more cash the bigger the grab.

 

[igrowone]

this is what happens the sheriff leaves town, at least partly
DEA was directed to leave MMJ alone, a few months later the big commercial operations begin(maybe)
now how likely is it DEA will leave large recreational grows alone?
not too likely, federal law is the law of the land, they have full time jobs just busting non MMJ
now if anyone can come up with a plausible large change in federal law, that would be the game changer
but you'd have to get it past senators from the god fearing Midwest and deep south, good luck with that

 

[kmk420kali]

^crazy..who the hells got 10 million lying around to invest in growing.

Richard Lee??

 

[215forLife]

Well Oakland can't legally put small growers out of business anyways.

"This initiative allows for unlimited amounts of marijuana to be cultivated anywhere without limitation or restriction..."

The whole basis for Kelly decision.

Even if 19 passes the two (medical and recreational) are going to be distinctly seperate because of Feinstiens statement on official ballot materials that it won't affect medical marijuana laws...

 

[Yes4Prop215]

^hope your right mang.

 

[215forLife]

Well itb would take a decent lawyer to make it happen. Probably one not tied to the mmj comuinity as they might have hidden agendas.

 

[Lazyman]

...Prop215 - Get a job motherfucker people that work for a living are tired of your 1.5 hour-a-day work schedule and your tax free corvette.

Go die in a fire.

I work a full time job, maintain a 20 acre ranch, a 3K square foot veggie garden, work my 16-light grow and still have time to come in here and tell you to fuck off. I work more and harder than you could imagine. Most nights I don't even get enough sleep because there is too much to do. 1.5 hours my ass, I spend more than that watering my veggies!

I pay sales taxes on everything I buy, just like you do. I pay taxes on all of my income, as I run a legal grow and am not a scofflaw.

I also don't own any exotic cars, fancy houses or even a boat. I have worked my ass off for every single thing I DO own, and no assclown like you is gonna tell me I haven't.

You have this completely false idea in your head that all growers are rich and living the life. That might apply to the top 1%, but the rest of us are just trying to make ends meet.

 

[THE PABLOS]

this is what happens the sheriff leaves town, at least partly
DEA was directed to leave MMJ alone, a few months later the big commercial operations begin(maybe)
now how likely is it DEA will leave large recreational grows alone?
not too likely, federal law is the law of the land, they have full time jobs just busting non MMJ
now if anyone can come up with a plausible large change in federal law, that would be the game changer
but you'd have to get it past senators from the god fearing Midwest and deep south, good luck with that

...yes yes it is the truth....the god fearing types are the hurdle....and not to be pessimistic toward "the cause"....but you will need to be Superman to lay out over that particular hurdle. That is the reality of not just the MJ issue but to the whole stack of cards.

I've never seen such hate.....as in the face of an ignorant holy roller. In their way...they are not stupid..... but they are evil and extremely dangerous. That is the enemy....has been for thousands of years....it/they won't go away....but you will pay dearly for their folly.

The only way I see to fight them off....is to be a Legion of Nobody....as our #s will not suffice. It is...therefore...important not to come out and show your ass. It is not a fight....fair or otherwise...to cave in to these fools. Not to sound childish...but fuck'em.

He who knows not and knows he knows not.....is a child...teach him.
He who knows not and knows not that he knows not....he is a fool...shun him.

 

[THE PABLOS]

Go die in a fire.

I work a full time job, maintain a 20 acre ranch, a 3K square foot veggie garden, work my 16-light grow and still have time to come in here and tell you to fuck off. I work more and harder than you could imagine. Most nights I don't even get enough sleep because there is too much to do. 1.5 hours my ass, I spend more than that watering my veggies!

I pay sales taxes on everything I buy, just like you do. I pay taxes on all of my income, as I run a legal grow and am not a scofflaw.

I also don't own any exotic cars, fancy houses or even a boat. I have worked my ass off for every single thing I DO own, and no assclown like you is gonna tell me I haven't.

You have this completely false idea in your head that all growers are rich and living the life. That might apply to the top 1%, but the rest of us are just trying to make ends meet.

Hello......applause....more the reality I've been witness to....and just about in the same waters as my ship sails. Love my veggie gardens....and spend way more time in those.....lazy has no place in farming.....that is a fact.

Brothers throwing brothers under the bus.....not very productive.

 

[2Lazy]

I don't buy the argument that these mega-corps are going to kill the home-based grower. The illegal drug dealers... yes.

So what should a "dealer" do?
Establish a reputation with their dispensary.
Maybe take the time to make this an actual career and attend Oaksterdam classes.

These huge operations are going to employ probably hundreds of people, legally, and this is where I think the benefit lays.

Attending the school and working as a master gardener could probably net someone a very decent salary even after taxes. I just hate that the opponents of this bill all seem like straight up dealers.

Why would these mega-corps drive down the price of their own product?

Think about the economics. If they can produce 1 gram for $1 after all the expenses, then they can sell that 1 gram for $2 and undersell everyone (at $60 ounces) and make a hefty 100% margin.

OR... Instead of being absolute artards they use an acceptable price of buds, at say $200 an ounce, and bring the inflated market (some med shops charge upwards of $450 per ounce. It's ridiculous to rip med patients like that) back in to check. The licensees get together and agree on a fair market value and now everyone can make upwards of 700% on their products, even the "mom and pop" growers.

I'm still producing my meds at about $2 per gram, so selling at $5 or $6 on the gram to a dispensary still nets me a VERY generous business investment. I just consider the savings I am making remembering all the $20 grams I've purchased in my life. It's a 1000% swing and I love it.

Leave it to potheads to not think through the economics of a very political situation.

"Meh... but what about all the 16 year-old clients? I'll lose all my business!!!" Don't be stupid... seriously.

 

[igrowone]

... So what should a "dealer" do?
Establish a reputation with their dispensary.
Maybe take the time to make this an actual career and attend Oaksterdam classes....

very good sense here, the growing environment seems to have taken a sharp turn in the last few months
i don't know this business, just grow for my small medical needs
but the professional will probably make it, and the amateur probably won't
this is true in many businesses, and likely will be the same here
as in other businesses, the more highly trained/experienced specialist typically gets the higher compensation, pest control, disease identification, etc.

 

[miltonchitlin]

10 to 12 of these small growers could form a team to get a big 4 permit for $20000 each if community was really their game plan. Instead a plan to sabotage other growers is developed, pathetic.

 

[THE PABLOS]

$20,000....sounds like a walk in the park...let me check my pockets.....and all those new partners...recipe for destruction...lol...guess my reality is far off the mark. Where do you peeps live? Classes? Are you shitting me? Geeezus fucking Christ.

 

[Tommy Trichome]

Lets see.. I've been growing on and off since the early 80's (i.e. not an amateur).. have been a legitimate 215 care provider since 2003.. the small private patients collective I've been working for is feeling the crunch of the economy AND the dispensaries.. so a few months ago I become forced to try and work a pound of A++ elite indoor meds to the public dispensaries.. I go to 20 dispensaries in San Francisco.. ALL tell me that they won't pay any more than $3200 for a lb of A++ elite indoor (it costs me $3K to grow an lb & that's w/o paying myself for my time).. AND only 3 would even look at my meds.. and all of them wanted me to consign it for 6 weeks..

So if you're growing you meds at $2/g you must be either outdoor or a mega-grower of swag.. and fuck Oaksterdam.. and fuck big business..

Cuz believe it or not, the little guy/mom&pop who grows good meds IS GETTING SHUT OUT and Prop 19 hasn't even happened yet!

 

[Vegan]

no doubt the lttle guy will get sqeezed out..but like any business ,,ya just gotta have the best widget..whether or not you can get that widget to market thats a diffrent story

yes overhead will kill ya

this a good thread lots of great opinions ..