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* Last night’s Decatur City Council meeting was quite something. Aldermen voted to ban the sale of cannabis and even voted not to allow the construction of growing and processing centers…
“What I heard unequivocally from law enforcement was, ‘You will never get enough money to cover the problems this will bring,’” [Decatur Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe] said, speaking before the vote. “I went to health officials, ER doctors, those that work with overdose patients every day, and they said, ‘Don’t do this.’”
1) Lots of people in Decatur are already consuming cannabis. They’re just doing it illegally. The city has now sided with the black market. And every “study” that purports to show unusually large increases in police costs has been thoroughly debunked.
2) Maybe those ER doctors thought the mayor was asking about opioid overdoses, because nobody has ever died after ingesting too much weed.
The council even rejected an opportunity to see what their constituents really believe…
[Ald. Bill Faber] unsuccessfully attempted to amend the ordinance to attach a referendum, effectively asking the question of the public on the next election’s ballot. “My aim is to get the issue decided by the community,” he said.
You get the distinct feeling from reading the article that the city council doesn’t want to know what the public actually thinks.
* Meanwhile, leave it to the folks at Center Square to come up with a negative Illinois-related spin…
A federal measure that would allow marijuana business access to banks could mean a boom in investment, but it could put a dent in Illinois’ budding cannabis revenue projections.
For years, the business of medical and recreational cannabis has been “cash-only” due to federal banking laws forbidding access to banks. The SAFE Act, passed the U.S. House of Representatives last Wednesday using a parliamentary procedure but with bipartisan support nonetheless. It would remove the federal prohibition on FDIC-insured banking institutions doing business with a company that sells medical or recreational cannabis.
The nonprofit Tax Foundation said the purveyors of pot are likely jumping for joy over the prospect, but states who charge an excise tax on the monetary value of the product could see tax revenues fall short.
“With the access to financial services, greater competition could occur because a lot more startups who can then get access to startup loans to finance can get into the market to make it more competitive and drive down prices,” said Ulrik Boesen, senior policy analyst.
Illinois will become the 12th state to legalize recreational cannabis in 2020.
This theoretical business boom, Boesen said, would increase the availability of choices for consumers, making competition for Illinois’ cannabis connoisseurs intensify.
That could result in lower sale prices, Boesen predicted, meaning less money for Illinois and the local governments.
“If prices go down and your tax system is tied to these prices, your revenue goes down,” Boesen said, adding that predicting revenue on a high-volatility market like cannabis is difficult.
More entrepreneurship, more innovation and more competition would all be good things, regardless of the possibly nominal impact on tax revenues.
…Adding… Not to mention that this state limits the number of license-holders, which the out of state dude probably didn’t comprehend. That article is so awful on so many levels.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Oct 1, 19 @ 9:59 am
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The TASS arm of the IPI,IRN picked up on the SAFE act story.
Bemoaning possible lower prices for the consumer.
I guess once you get too deep down that rabbit hole, there really is no coming up.
Comment by efudd Tuesday, Oct 1, 19 @ 10:04 am
When the police make the laws, that is literally a police state.
It’s disturbing how nonchalant some elected officials are when they openly use the PR from the police as reasoning to back up their decisions on making law.
Combined with the lack of desire to hold a referendum, I hope these people understand who they have elected.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Tuesday, Oct 1, 19 @ 10:07 am
New Frontier Data reports that Colorado has created over 3,000 new legal cannabis businesses in the five years since they legalized.
3,000 new businesses. That’s 3,000 sets of lawyers, accountants, payroll processors, insurance companies; 3,000 business signs. 3,000 office supply contracts, cleaning contracts, computer network services, utility payments, building maintenance contracts, marketing spends etc.
But nope - we should definitely keep calling this a “theoretical business boom”. It may or may not be real. Communities like Decatur should just sit on their hands for a few more years and see how things shake out. /sarcasm
Comment by sulla Tuesday, Oct 1, 19 @ 10:09 am
Decatur not opening dispensaries opens opportunities in nearby towns, for those realistic enough to admit marijuana prohibition has been a disaster and marijuana was, is and will be widespread.
Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, Oct 1, 19 @ 10:10 am
It the Howard Buffett money train Rich- he is against it, was the temporary sheriff for a while, and donates a ton of money to civic causes in town (The Crossings is his baby, and it is soon to open a large drug rehab facility). According to those who attended, dozens spoke in favor of having a dispensary, three people (all affiliated with Buffett’s projects or the sheriff’s office) repeated talking points from the Reagan administration.The quotes from the council members showed that they were fearing Buffett pulling his support. They say its “for the kids”, but as its been said many tie drug dealers don’t card kids, and sell things that can end them up in rehab along with cannabis. Saying things like “We don’t want marijuana in our town” shows a complete lack of understanding that it has been here (like about everywhere) for longer than any of the council members have been alive. Looks like Springfield (possibly Champaign and Bloomington)will be picking up an even larger chunk of Decatur’s residents spending cash (have to stop for a meal, maybe pick up some groceries or hit the mall while in town). The only thing that makes this decision better than blocking the mall back in 1977 is that it can be cahanged in the future. Until then, we are officially less progressive a town than Effingham (I never though I would make that statement about anything !)
Comment by Roadiepig Tuesday, Oct 1, 19 @ 10:14 am
Voters can put the question on the ballot themselves in the March or Nov. 2020 elections by initiative petition. I think the requirement is signatures = 8% of voted in ‘18 Gov. election in Decatur. That’s how I put the open primary advisory referendum on the ballot in Decatur in 2012, garnering 75% for OP.
Thanks Councilman Faber for fighting for small “d” democracy!
Comment by SamCahnman Tuesday, Oct 1, 19 @ 10:16 am
Not a big surprise that Decatur is going with prohibition. The town is beholden to Howard Buffett and the millions he pours into projects there, and he’s very much in the camp of “legalization will allow cartels and the black market to take over communities.”
Comment by Treefiddy Tuesday, Oct 1, 19 @ 10:17 am
Could be a great opportunity for some nearby community.
Comment by Generic Drone Tuesday, Oct 1, 19 @ 10:19 am
Ignorance is rampant.
It will be legal on Jan. 1
The banning of legal sale in Decatur won’t stop the flow of marijuana into town, it will just keep it underground.
Comment by Bruce (no not him) Tuesday, Oct 1, 19 @ 10:21 am
Decatur serving up another big economic opportunity for Mt. Zion and/or Forsyth here, if they’re willing.
Comment by Served Tuesday, Oct 1, 19 @ 10:22 am
SAFE is just a bill.
What are the odds that SAFE passes the US Senate (or is even called for a vote)?
And, would President Trump signs SAFE into law?
Comment by Hamlet's Ghost Tuesday, Oct 1, 19 @ 10:25 am
Maybe Decatur doesn’t want the smell of pot smoke to obscure the smell of processed soybeans.
Comment by Skeptic Tuesday, Oct 1, 19 @ 10:29 am
Mayor Wolfe really can’t believe what she says, can she? No right thinking mayor would force their constituents to buy a legal product from a criminal/criminal organization. Wow just Wow.
At least all the ADM executives that relocated to Chicago will be able to buy their pot without a problem.
Comment by don the legend Tuesday, Oct 1, 19 @ 10:31 am
-Skeptic-
That’s the smell? I thought there was a Purina factory nearby, straight up smells like dog food in that city.
Comment by SpfdNewb Tuesday, Oct 1, 19 @ 10:32 am
Yet another case of ‘I don’t use this legal product and I consider it immoral, so therefore you can’t use it either’. That’s really all it is. Tobacco and alcohol are mainstream vices now, so they can be on every corner. Video gambling has become mainstream because they finally figured out that there were too many empty storefronts and restaurants that could be full with video gaming.
In my opinion, we are reducing cartel and black market influence by making pot legal, not increasing it.
Comment by thoughts matter Tuesday, Oct 1, 19 @ 10:32 am
“Nothing so needs reforming like other peoples’ habits”-
Mark Twain
Comment by efudd Tuesday, Oct 1, 19 @ 10:38 am
Even if competition reduced sales prices, a good business person knows that what you might lose by having smaller margins (less income per unit) can easily be recouped by having larger volumes (more units sold).
In other words, even if greater competition results in lower prices, both the lower prices and the greater available volume of product could mean greater sales numbers overall. In turn, this would result in more tax revenue.
Comment by Techie Tuesday, Oct 1, 19 @ 10:44 am
===could mean greater sales numbers overall===
That is correct. Competition between legal and illegal weed won’t be entirely price-based, but lower legal prices will certainly help, as will greater variety.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Oct 1, 19 @ 10:45 am
Rich, also the fact that it will be legal helps. It’s hard to get arrested for illegal possession when you have a sales receipt from a legal location.
Comment by SpfdNewb Tuesday, Oct 1, 19 @ 10:50 am
Decatur’s prohibition is another opportunity for the folks in Forsyth. In the 70s, Decatur didn’t want the mall so it was built in Forsyth, along with all of the additional businesses that have located there as well.
Comment by Facts matter Tuesday, Oct 1, 19 @ 10:55 am
Same small town, short-sighted, fear-based policy-making is alive and well in Chatham. They erroneously believe they have somehow banned marijuana in our community, but all they’ve done is Ban my tax dollars from staying in our town. When the fear of the unknown is well in the rearview mirror and the sky hasn’t fallen in, they will want to change their minds, but will be too late, because there will already be a dispensary close enough to cover the needs of the village. Maybe they can all get together and ironically cry in their beers then.
Comment by Harvest76 Tuesday, Oct 1, 19 @ 10:59 am
Yeah, we don’t want medical care providers bogged down with all those marijuana overdoses which generally lead to a nap. It might distract them from dealing with the ODs relating to the drugs THEY are pushing.
Comment by Cent IL guy Tuesday, Oct 1, 19 @ 11:08 am
The writer for the opaque oval makes it sound like the SAFE Act passed with a parliamentary parlour trick. The vote was 321 to 103 with 91 Republics or nearly half voting for the measure. The era of prohibition is over.
Comment by Al Tuesday, Oct 1, 19 @ 11:16 am
Decatur has had a serious black market problem for years. I recall back in the 90’s that they had kids on street corners selling weed at 1 AM on a school night. Why Decatur would want to continue that culture is beyond me.
Comment by A Jack Tuesday, Oct 1, 19 @ 11:26 am
I thought one of the perennial arguments against legal weed was that with taxes and all it would cost more than black market weed thus allowing the cartels to flourish. Now the argument is that it will be too cheap? That’s a good thing, isn’t it?
Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Tuesday, Oct 1, 19 @ 12:27 pm
Doubt Forsyth will take advantage as they voted down having gambling machines in their Village. Mt Zion could cash in on this one.
Comment by Big D Tuesday, Oct 1, 19 @ 12:36 pm
Roadiepig—Actually, the Effingham City Council has not yet discussed this issue, to my knowledge. The recent news was about the Effingham County Board, which has no authority to opt out. The board set a tax.
If the board could have banned legal sales, I’m certain they would have done so. It should be interesting when the city council takes up the matter. A few years ago they turned down a growing facility, which went to a more welcoming community nearby. Stay tuned….
Comment by Don't Bloc Me In Tuesday, Oct 1, 19 @ 1:10 pm
Nothing about Decatur has made sense for coming on two decades now.
Comment by Left Leaner Tuesday, Oct 1, 19 @ 1:36 pm
According to my son, it appears most of the cities in Monroe Co are considering a ban on sales.
Comment by Blue Dog Dem Tuesday, Oct 1, 19 @ 1:53 pm
Don’t criticize Decatur…one of the most generous of towns…Decatur gave away the Mall and now cannabis dispensaries…to other more deserving towns?
Comment by Dotnonymous Tuesday, Oct 1, 19 @ 1:56 pm
Curious if anyone else in Macon County takes advantage. Forsyth has already opted out and it sounds like Mt. Zion will do the same. This may be Warrensburg’s chance to shine!
Comment by Treefiddy Tuesday, Oct 1, 19 @ 1:58 pm
Not commenting on the content but just wanted to point out Decatur doesn’t have Aldermen its a City Council form with only councilmen.
Comment by Decatur Resident Tuesday, Oct 1, 19 @ 3:34 pm
I love that “parliamentary procedure” to smear those dirty socialists for ‘gulp’ calling for a roll call vote. What a dirty partisan trick, the old roll call vote. Voting And keeping track of how folks voted, that sounds scary and unconstitutional. Horrible Dems and their parliamentary roll call vote dirty trick.
Comment by Al Tuesday, Oct 1, 19 @ 4:01 pm
Word is that Decatur resident Howard Buffet (Warren’s son) pressured Council to opt out. He is financing a the building of a drug rehab center there, and has donated millions for various Decatur projects. He gives more $$ to Decatur than the local revenue that would be raised from pot sales. So, this vote may have been based on fear that Buffet would cut off the city, as opposed to what the best policy was for the city. 80% of speakers at meeting were pro-pot & articulate too!
Comment by truthtopower Tuesday, Oct 1, 19 @ 4:02 pm
Comical.They do realize that it has been legalized now right? Someone might have to drive 15 minutes away to pick some up and pay tax to another municipality. Message to reefer madness propaganda folks - You Lost.
Comment by Illinois Resident Tuesday, Oct 1, 19 @ 5:18 pm
Truthpower - Thanks for the information.
Comment by Illinois Resident Tuesday, Oct 1, 19 @ 5:26 pm
Illiopolis could use an addition to their sales tax base.
Comment by Facts Matter Tuesday, Oct 1, 19 @ 7:07 pm