Sweden Town Supervisor: Feedback about 50-50 on opting out of recreational marijuana sales
“The feedback we have received so far has been about 50-50,” said Mayor Kevin Johnson.
The city council is now considering a measure to “opt out” of admitting marijuana. Johnson says the real purpose of the legislation is to get a general discussion going before the state’s official standard position, so that pot sales and consumer companies take place automatically by the end of December.
This is what happens if local municipalities do not take any action.
Karen Lobracco from Sweden told the board that she likes the idea of new tax revenues coming to town but wants to hear more from the police.
“Law enforcement will have some challenges,” she said. “Sure, they have intoxication procedures and they’m fighting it over cannabis.”
An important consideration for legislators is that a decision to “opt out” and keep the industry out is a community leader can regret. If the measure to exclude pot offers is approved, the board may change in the future.
But according to state law, once companies are admitted, either because a municipality decides to allow them or because it does not take any action, a community does not have the opportunity to do a 180 later.
Johnson said he understood the logic because entrepreneurs who expect to work were likely to make costly commitments to start their businesses, which would be unfair to stumble upon.
“Once inside, you’re stuck,” he said.
For those who are not interested in sales, the big selling point is tax revenue, which the municipalities that opt out will not get, even though selling and making marijuana will be legal throughout the country regardless.
“Cannabis will be consumed and our citizens will use it,” Lobracco said. “We should stay and use that revenue for the good of the city.”
With so many questions still unanswered and the deadline still more than three months left, Johnson says the city is in no hurry to make a decision on this and may well wait for what it can learn and wait to make a decision until last minute in December.