Pubdate: Fri, 22 Aug 2014
Source: Seattle Times (WA)
Page: B4
Copyright: 2014 The Seattle Times Company
Contact:  http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/409
Author: Evan Bush

STATE BEGINS HAULING IN TAXES FROM POT SHOPS

$750,000 Owed For July

Liquor Board Office Retrofitted With Security For Cash
Transactions

For marijuana businesses, Wednesday was the first deadline to pay
their tax obligations to the Liquor Control Board. Pot businesses owed
the state about $750,000 for July excise taxes, according to Liquor
Control Board spokesman Brian Smith. Over the past several days, many
have come to the board's offices to settle up.

With limited access to banking services, that can be complicated for
some. Although most pot proprietors paid with personal checks, Smith
said, about $120,000 came in cash. Smith said one pot proprietor came
to the office and pulled cash out of a box to pay his taxes.

"We put a window in our front lobby," said Smith, explaining the
process. "You make a transaction through a window like you're buying a
movie ticket."

Randy Simmons, the state's marijuana project director at the Liquor
Control Board, said the agency prepared for pot entrepreneurs bringing
in the green. He said the agency retrofitted the building and built a
secure cash room to protect the state's tax haul. It doesn't hurt that
the agency is next to the State Patrol offices.

"Once the money gets here and we've counted it and receipted it, it
goes to a safe and an armored car picks up the cash and takes it to
the bank," Simmons said.

Smith said the process has gone smoothly.

"It's been business as usual even though this is an unusual business
for us," he said.

Smith said the agency was pleased so many businesses were able to pay
by check.

"If people are writing big checks for business it makes me think
they've got a bank account somewhere," Smith said. "It suggests people
are finding banking solutions."  
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D