East Dubuque benefiting financially from dispensaries

As the state of Illinois marks five years since recreational cannabis became legal, local dispensaries continue providing significant tax revenue boosts to the Jo Daviess County communities that they call home. In January of 2020, Illinois legalized adult recreational use of cannabis and regulated sales of marijuana. In 2024, dispensaries statewide reported a record-setting $1.722 billion in adult-use cannabis sales, and sales taxes collected at Illinois cannabis dispensaries last year totaled more than $490 million, according to a press release. East Dubuque receives both a 1.5% local sales tax and 3% excise tax on sales at dispensaries in the city limits. In fiscal year 2022, the city reported $161,853 in cannabis excise tax revenue, compared to $380,802 in fiscal year 2024. The city recorded cannabis excise tax revenue of $429,615.90 during the 2024 fiscal year and $459,623.65 during the 2023 fiscal year.