Sonoma County pot tax vote drew 33 percent turnout

About 33 percent of Sonoma County voters turned out for the March 7 special election to decide whether to tax marijuana businesses, according to final results released Friday.

Measure A, which places an up to 10 percent tax on revenue from commercial growers and dispensaries in the unincorporated areas, passed by a more than 2-to-1 margin, with 71 percent voting in favor of it. Nearly 91,000 of the county’s 272,000 voters cast ballots.

The tax is expected to generate $6.3 million to $15.3 million a year.

About 8,800 Sonoma Valley residents voted in a separate race to decide whether to extend an existing parcel tax for Sonoma Valley Hospital.

Measure B fell just short of getting the required two-thirds majority, garnering 66 percent of the vote.

Hospital officials were seeking a five-year extension with an increase of $55 a year, bringing the total parcel tax to $250 a year.

You can reach Staff Writer Paul Payne at 707-568-5312 or paul.payne@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @ppayne.