The Hermosa Beach Cannabis Advisory group opposes cannabis sales, but if approved, wants tax
by Dan Blackburn
The Hermosa Beach Cannabis Advisory Group expressed unanimous opposition to an initiative on the November ballot that asks to legalize retail cannabis sales in Hermosa Hermosa Beach.
The initiative, proposed by resident Colton Chacker, if approved by voters, would require the city to allow two cannabis retail stores. Hermosa currently bans marijuiana sales.
The Cannabis Advisory Group was appointed by City Manager Suja Lowenthal, and tasked with advising the city council on issues related to the cannabis initiative.
The group will present its report at the April 12 city council meeting.
The nine-member group met six times over the last two months for a total of 20 hours, according to Lowenthal.
Asked if the city should lift its current ban on cannabis delivery, the group’s members were almost evenly divided, voting 5-4 in favor of allowing delivery within city limits. Several members said they also backed lifting the city’s current ban on storefronts.
Members noted that delivery of cannabis within the city limits already is occurring, and that no tax revenues is currently accruing to the city. Police Chief Paul LeBaron told the group preventative enforcement is difficult.
Some city council members have broached the possibility of crafting a competing initiative for the November ballot, which would incorporate benefits for the community that the Chacker initiative does not address.
The advisory group narrowly opposed a city-backed initiative, 5-4, but unanimously endorsed the idea of a “stand-alone” tax proposal to accompany the Chacker initiative in the event it wins voter approval. The tax range should be flexible, the group decided, to allow adjustment with market fluctuations, and to avoid pricing legal cannabis sales so high, that it encouraged black market sales.
The meeting turned heated when panel member Heidi Swan questioned the motivation of other members, suggesting that one or more might benefit financially from a relaxation of local cannabis prohibitions.
“Let’s not let the situation get out of hand at our last meeting,” Lowenthal said.
Swan was the most outspoken opponent of cannabis and its availability, asserting at one point that cities in California that allow storefront sales of pot “are disadvantaged. And we are not an impoverished area.”
The group was led by the city manager, and included Chief LeBaron, Deputy City Manager Angela Crespi, and Community Development Director Ken Robertson.
Members included Dave Davis, chairman of the Chamber of Commerce’s board acting in a private capacity; Jason Johnson, superintendent of Hermosa Beach City School District; Tom Bakaly of the Beach Cities Health District. Community members included Andrea Valcourt, Matt Cottrell, Cammie Herbert, Nathan Tribble, Swan and Russ Gilbert. ER