Orange Beach council discusses ordinance to levy vape tax; public hearing scheduled

ORANGE BEACH, Ala. — The Orange Beach City Council discussed a proposed ordinance to levy a tax on consumable vapor products on Aug. 19 and reminded residents a public hearing and first reading are scheduled as part of the Sept. 2 meeting.

City Administrator Ford Hanley said the proposed levy would create a consistent way for municipalities to capture taxes on vapor products without relying on population-based allocation methods. He said the city circulated a memorandum explaining the approach and that the city posted the draft on its website and distributed it to firms that have designed similar municipal ordinances.

Why it matters: Many Alabama municipalities are considering their own levies on vapor products; the council’s action to schedule a public hearing starts the formal ordinance process for Orange Beach and could affect local retail pricing and municipal revenue collection.

Details discussed: Hanley told council members the proposal aims to standardize how the city captures amounts due from consumable vapor-product sales rather than using population as a metric. Staff noted the draft ordinance and related materials are posted on the city website for public review and that a formal public hearing and first reading are scheduled for Sept. 2, 2025.

Next steps: The council will hold the public hearing and take the first reading of the ordinance on Sept. 2; further debate, amendments or a final vote would occur at later readings as required by local ordinance and state law.

Speakers who addressed the topic included City Administrator Ford Hanley and staff members involved in drafting and distributing the materials.