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Orozco, Norma <br /> From: Andrea Lupear <alupear@minervaproducts.com> <br /> Sent: Friday, July 29, 2022 2:20 PM <br /> To: eComment; Christian Zea <br /> Subject: Cannabis Tax Issue as a Resolution-Code Change Request <br /> RE: July 29, 2022 <br /> Special City Council Meeting Agenda <br /> Item#1, Municipal Code Changes Related to Cannabis <br /> Dear City Council and City Staff: <br /> My name is Andrea Lupear and I am an owner of Minerva Products, Inc, a woman and minority owned business. We are <br /> a licensed cannabis manufacturing and distribution facility in the City of Santa Ana. <br /> As a licensed manufacturer, I am respectfully requesting the following regarding municipal code changes related to <br /> Cannabis. <br /> 1) Bifurcate the Cannabis Tax resolution and set it for city council meeting on August 2, 2022 to lower cannabis <br /> taxes immediately per proposed OCAA recommendations. <br /> 2) Reduce the gross receipts tax on cannabis retail, manufacturing, and distribution businesses as follows: <br /> Category Current Rate Future Rate <br /> Adult-use Cannabis Retail Business(including Delivery) 8%/$25 sgft. 5%/$12.50 sgft. <br /> Distribution 6%/$4 sgft. 1%/$2 sgft. <br /> Manufacturing 6%/$10 sgft. 1%/$5 sgft. <br /> Cultivation 6%/$10 sgft. 1%/$5 sgft. <br /> These are the two most important issues facing me as a cannabis operator in the City of Santa Ana. <br /> With a tax rate of 6%, our business is left on an unequal footing with the black market cannabis industry, which is <br /> rampant throughout Santa Ana and the state of California. We struggle to hire new, local employees, and we have less <br /> money to donate to social causes. By lowering the tax rate to 1%,we will be able to reinvest in our business, grow sales <br /> and contribute to Santa Ana via job growth,training and business improvements. <br /> Respectfully, <br /> MII\i FRVA <br /> Andrea Lupear <br /> President and Chief Pastry Officer <br /> Minerva Products Inc. <br /> 415.420.8682 <br /> 1 <br />