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Coppola Too shuts down production Francis Ford Coppola Winery is the latest notable local wine producer to downsize operations. The brand, owned by Delicato since 2021, closed its Francis Ford Coppola Winery Too production facility in Geyserville, effective May 15, letting go 15 wine-production employees. The closure and layoffs were first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle . Production will be moved from the Chianti Road facility to the original Francis Ford Coppola Winery on Via Archimedes, according to the Chronicle . The Coppola Too location was formerly the Virginia Dare Winery, and before that the home of Geyser Peak Winery. Coppola purchased Virginia Dare in 2014. Following the sale of his namesake brand, Coppola retained an equity stake in Delicato, but reportedly borrowed $200 million against it to fund his cinematic passion project Megalopolis , the 2024 sci-fi epic which struggled to find an audience and reportedly lost north of $110 million.— JW
County lowers cannabis-cultivation tax rate Sonoma County cannabis growers will see some relief at the pocketbook, as the Board of Supervisors on April 15 approved a reduction in local tax rates for cultivation in unincorporated areas. The amended Cannabis Business Tax Ordinance will lower cannabis-grow rates equivalent to 2.5% of gross receipts, converted to a square footage rate, according to county officials. The amendment follows an annual review of market changes and data reported by local operators; local cannabis tax rates for retail and manufacturing operations in unincorporated areas will remain the same. The revised rates for cultivation in unincorporated areas are as follows:
• $0.36 per square foot for outdoor cultivation • $1.15 per square foot for mixed-light cultivation • $3 per square foot for indoor cultivation
Measure A, which established the Cannabis Business Tax, was passed by voters on March 7, 2017, with 71% voter approval. To gather data to conduct the annual cannabis tax rate review, county staff sent a questionnaire to all 66 permitted cannabis cultivation operators. Participation in the questionnaire was voluntary; 13 responses were received representing 20% of the total number of cultivation businesses in the unincorporated county cannabis industry, the county reported.
Cannabis program costs are funded by cannabis business tax revenue. “Due to declining revenue, the program has had to use fund balance to maintain program operations,” county officials said in a statement. According to the county, the overall cost of managing the cannabis program is projected to be $1.7 million for the next two fiscal years. Cannabis business tax revenue in fiscal year 2025-26 is projected to be $700,000. The amended Cannabis Business Tax Ordinance, which will go before the Board of Supervisors for final approval on May 6, 2025, will be effective July 1.— JW
Sebastopol parts ways with city manager The City of Sebastopol is looking for a new city manager.
That was the news from an April 15 closed-session meeting, in which city officials announced the council and City Manager Don Schwartz “have mutually agreed to end their professional relationship, effective immediately.” Schwartz had been city manager since January of 2024, with an annual salary of $245,000. No details were offered as to the parting of the ways. The closed session was held following the council’s regular Tuesday public meeting. Schwartz was not in attendance. The council voted 3-2 to break with Schwartz, with members Sandra Maurer and Neysa Hinton dissenting. Following the vote, Mayor Stephen Zollman said in a statement, “Mr. Schwartz has served our community with professionalism and care. We are grateful for his service and the contributions he has made to Sebastopol.” Zollman went on to credit Schwartz with his work in negotiating an agreement to consolidate the city’s fire department and working to solve the city’s financial challenges. According to a statement from the council, an interim city manager will be appointed as the city begins the process of selecting a new permanent city manager.— NBb
12 NorthBaybiz
June 2025
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