The Michigan Department of Treasury is issuing the latest round of marijuana tax revenue to communities throughout the state that allow such businesses, and those dollars really add up.
According to Treasury, Berrien County is receiving more than $1.5 million in marijuana revenue for the year, while communities throughout are also being paid. The county’s top municipalities for marijuana dollars are Niles with $407,000, New Buffalo Township with $349,000, Buchanan with $349,000, and Benton Harbor with $232,000.
Buchanan City Manager Tony McGhee tells us the city was among the first in Michigan to join the marijuana bandwagon when those businesses were first allowed, and since, marijuana has been a consistent revenue source. So, how does the city use that money?
“Last year’s marijuana money was used for a combination of infrastructure projects here in the community as well as parks projects,” McGhee said. “We’re doing some work around the riverfront right now that’s been able to support that.”
We noticed the three biggest recipients of marijuana revenue in the county are all close to the state line with Indiana, where marijuana remains illegal. McGhee says it’s true the town has been revitalized partially by all of those Hoosiers who head north of the border. They stop at restaurants and browse shops just like anyone else.
At the county level, Berrien County Administrator Brian Dissette tells us most of the marijuana money has just gone into the General Fund, but the county did make one large purchase with those taxes. The sheriff’s department’s $800,000 remote command vehicle was purchased with those funds in 2022. He says the county has to be thoughtful about using marijuana dollars.
“On a year-by-year basis, we’ll get requests that only certain communities are participating in the marijuana zoning allowance, so should those communities get special treatment or greater investments? The logic with the first usage of the dollars was with a mobile command vehicle, it can go anywhere in the county,” Dissette said.
Dissette says that way, the entire county can be served equally by the marijuana money, and not just areas that allow pot shops. However, both McGhee and Dissette tell us government leaders are talking about how to adjust as the marijuana market settles and those dollars start to fall.
Below is a list of the marijuana tax distributions being made to Southwest Michigan communities this year:
Bangor — $58,228
Breedsville — $58,228
Cassopolis — $116,457
Decatur — $174,685
Eau Claire — $58,228
Edwardsburg — $116,457
Hartford — $116,457
Paw Paw Township — $174,685
South Haven Township — $174,685
Three Oaks — $58,228
