The idea of a sales tax has long been regarded as the third rail of Oregon politics.

But the state House on Thursday approved a sales tax for the state’s soon-to-be-legal product of recreational marijuana on a 44-14 vote.

“I’m surprised there weren’t more no votes given what it is,” said Rep. Carl Wilson, R-Grants Pass, who helped carry the tax measure on the House floor.  “Just uttering the words ‘sales tax’ makes so many people nervous.”

Oregon is one of just five states without a general sales tax at the state level, according to the Tax Foundation.

Wilson and other supporters of House Bill 2041 said that the best way to tax marijuana for recreational use — which becomes legal on July 1 — is to do it at the point of sale.  It’s easier to administer and could actually put less of a tax burden on consumers than the harvest tax contained in the Measure 91 marijuana legalization initiative passed by voters in November. [Read more at the Portland Oregonian]