NORTH COAST
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2015
EO Media Group
RAYMOND, Wash. —
The newly legal recreational
marijuana industry is off to
a smokin’ fast start in Pacif-
ic County, but a single retail
store isn’t gaining much trac-
tion so far, according to sales
-
ington State Liquor Control
Board.
In all, legal marijuana gen-
erated $1.66 million in eco-
nomic activity in the county
between August and Decem-
ber 2014, the liquor board
said in a statistical report.
Legal marijuana in the coun-
ty has generated more than
$415,000 in taxes, thus far.
A liquor board spokesman
told Oregon Public Broad-
casting that total sales state-
wide surpassed $63 million in
2014, supplying $15 million
in taxes. Legal recreational
marijuana sales began July 8.
-
ed to play an increasing role
in producing and processing
the drug, largely due to the
availability of inexpensive in-
dustrial property at the Port of
Willapa Harbor in Raymond.
So far, two production and
two processing licenses have
been granted in the Raymond
area — one of each to BMF
Washington Corp. and Green
Labs Inc. Large-scale con-
struction is actively under-
way on other production and
processing facilities on port
property, but they have not yet
been granted licenses.
Raymond’s BMF Wash-
ington is the largest produc-
tion/processing
operation
with more than $1.5 mil-
lion in sales. The state’s sec-
-
ley-based Farmer J’s, reported
$1.25 million in sales.
BMF Washington re-
ported $820,373 in August
sales, $89,135 in Septem-
ber, $301,533 in October,
$300,392 in November and
$15,230 in December. Green
Labs reported $1,275 in pro-
duction excise taxes in Octo-
ber, but then apparently ob-
tained its processing license
and reported $40,028 in Sep-
tember, $49,726 in October
and $28,768 in November.
Because of BMF’s duel
licenses, it pays just a single
25 excise tax on the product it
produces. This also is true of
Green Labs. Companies that
only do production must pay
3A
a 25 percent excise tax, with
another 25 percent in tax im-
posed on whoever does the
processing. Yet another 25
percent tax is added at the
retail level, plus applicable
B&O and sales taxes.
Marijuana produced in Pa-
-
where in the state.
The county was initially
allocated two retail licenses,
both in the Raymond area.
However, only one — Mr.
Doobee’s — is up and run-
ning. Liquor board statistics
show only $13,322 in report-
ed sales in November and just
$533 in December. However,
other numbers in the state re-
port were also low for Decem-
ber due to a lag between sales
and data processing.
State law mandates that
more than 80 percent of mari-
juana excise taxes help pay for
healthcare, substance abuse,
public health and related pro-
grams. Marijuana taxes do not
go into the General Fund.
Brian Smith, a spokesman
for the Liquor Control Board,
said initially there was a lim-
ited supply that quickly drove
up the price of retail weed.
“What we’re hearing today
with marijuana and prices
dropped so low that many
of the producers and proces-
sors are concerned about the
price,” he told OPB.
Smith said about 100
stores are operating in 27 of
Washington’s 39 counties.
The latest forecast shows
Washington’s retail marijuana
industry is projected to bring
in nearly $700 million in reve-
nue for the state by 2019.
Mediators keep union dispute from escalating
Capital Press
Federal intervention in a la-
bor contract dispute between
longshoremen and container
terminal operators will stop
CANNON BEACH — The Cannon Beach Food Pantry
plans to open in its new location, the former library portable
at the Cannon Beach Elementary School property, Jan. 28.
The pantry will operate at its usual hours of 3 to 5 p.m.,
said Molly Edison, food pantry manager.
Moving day is Jan. 24, and volunteers are welcome to
help the pantry move its food, shelving, tables, rolling carts,
freezers, refrigerators and other items into their “new digs.”
The volunteer movers — including the Cannon Beach po-
won’t immediately end port dis-
ruptions, experts say.
The longshoremen’s union
and their employers recently
allowed federal mediators to
participate in contract nego-
tiations, which will probably
prevent a strike or lockout,
said Michael LeRoy, a law
professor at the University of
Illinois who specializes in la-
bor relations.
While the mediators can
keep the parties from going over
the brink, persuading them to
hammer out a resolution usually
involves a longer process. Le-
Roy said.
“It’s a bit like untying a knot
that’s tied very tightly,” he said.
“I would not expect a quick out-
come.”
The International Long-
shore and Warehouse Union’s
prior labor contract expired
in July 2014, and in recent
months terminal operators rep-
-
itime Association accused it
of deliberately staging work
slowdowns to gain leverage in
negotiations.
The ILWU was initially un-
decided about PMA’s request for
federal intervention but agreed
to let mediators participate in
early January after thinking over
the option for two weeks.
Federal mediators are able
to settle more than 80 percent of
collective bargaining disputes,
according to government statis-
tics.
“It’s an encouraging sign,”
said Peter Friedmann, execu-
tive director of the Agriculture
— will meet at the Cannon Beach Bible Church, 264 Hills
Lane, at 9 a.m. that day, Edison said.
“Anybody who wants to help us, we’re more than happy
to accept them,” she said.
“I think it’s going to be a good move for us, so, hopefully,
we will be in business on the 28th,” she added.
MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI — EO Media Group
A view of a cargo container ship at the Port of Portland is seen in this file photo taken
in April 2011. Experts say federal intervention in a labor contract dispute between long-
shoremen and container terminal operators will stop the conflict from escalating but
won’t immediately end port disruptions.
No school in Astoria Monday
Transportation Coalition. “It’s
better than the two of them not
talking to each other.”
Even so, agricultural ex-
porters continue to face a “dire”
situation at ports along the West
Coast as congestion impedes the
shipping of perishable crops,
meat and dairy products while
overseas buyers secure alternate
sources of farm goods, he said.
“Foreign customers are look-
ing elsewhere for dependable
suppliers,” Friedmann said.
The Federal Mediation and
Conciliation Service’s engage-
ment in the talks is a relief for
shippers, as the public vitriol be-
tween ILWU and PMA over the
reasons for port congestion had
grown worse in late 2014, said
Eric Schinfeld, president of the
Washington Council on Interna-
tional Trade.
“It was pretty clear they were
not on the same page at all,” he
said. “That was sort of the ‘dark-
est before the dawn’ moment.”
However, even under the
ASD is Jan. 23. School will resume Jan. 27.
most optimistic timeline, the
parties probably will not reach
a tentative agreement before the
end of January, Schinfeld said.
After that, it will still take
many months to clear the back-
log of cargo that has accumulat-
ed at container yards, he said.
Until they strike a deal, it’s
unlikely that the longshoremen
and terminal operators will re-
sume the public sniping seen in
late 2014, said LeRoy.
Parties are discouraged from
speaking to the media to avoid
aggravating tensions and but are
allowed to vent their frustration
to mediators, he said.
“These mediators are like
giant shock absorbers,” LeRoy
said. “They absorb a lot of nega-
tive energy.”
Mediators often speak sep-
arately to negotiators from op-
posing camps to focus on the
fundamental issues and avoid
confrontational tactics, he said.
This process provides the
mediators with insights about
points of possible compromise
and allows them to spot “horse
trading” opportunities, LeRoy
said.
Mediators have an “encyclo-
pedic knowledge” of the prob-
lems facing the ILWU and PMA
— like increased automation
aimed at relieving high labor
-
als that allow the parties to save
face and not appear to be back-
ing down, he said.
“It’s a way of resetting the
conversation,” LeRoy said. “It’s
a good way of injecting some
new energy into the talks.”
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ameda Ave.
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There will be an opportunity
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