The California wine industry is struggling.

In a small-town community like Lodi, where wine is the main economic driver, its success is essential. To help promote local wine, Winegrape Commission Executive Director Stuart Spencer got an idea.

"I'm looking at creating the Lodi Winery Business Improvement District, which would add a 1.5% assessment on the direct sale of wine from Lodi wineries," Spencer said. "It wouldn't include wholesale wine sales. It would just be anything subject to California sales tax."

Lodi wine has seen a drop in sales over the past three years. It's also become harder to make events profitable, even with the regular funding through membership fees and event profits.

Because of this, the commission says all the money from this assessment would go right back into

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