With wholesale cannabis businesses tanking statewide and the resulting county tax revenue shrinking, Monterey County officials will look at downsizing its cannabis program.
While the proposal is a workforce reduction, it does not mean layoffs. Instead, the staff is recommending position reassignments to other departments, according to a staff report that’s part of the Cannabis Committee that will meet at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday. Supervisors Chris Lopez and Mary Adams represent the Board of Supervisors on the committee.
“(The) Human Resources Department, with the current proposed list for cannabis-related position changes, there will be no reduction in force impacts to employees,” the meeting staff report reads.
On Nov. 8, supervisors directed Joann Iwamoto, the cannabis program manager, to come back with a scenario to reduce costs because of the impact on tax revenue from a glut of supply that is pressuring prices, as well as a proposed cut in county taxes charged to growers to help them survive in the current climate.
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