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* From the debate…
Q: Let’s talk about equity and recreational-use cannabis. The state’s program went online in 2020. The first predominantly Black-owned craft grow house recently opened in the state. But, Governor, since 2020, more than 340 licenses have been given out and only one has been given to a minority owner. Governor when will you make good on your promise to diversify the lucrative cannabis industry?
Pritzker: Well that’s not true. Let me be clear, 185 licenses have been awarded under the social equity licensing program.
Q: But those are conditional.
Pritzker: They are conditional. Conditional upon opening a store. So right now, people are in fact opening stores. It’s terrific. Has it taken too long? Yes, it has. And the fact is that people went to court and sued because they didn’t think that they deserved to be knocked out of the program, some of those folks. People were in the program, wanted the program to change, they sued. Look, I think those things have been worked out through the court system. Now you’re seeing people taking out loans, building out their dispensaries. We’ve seen cultivation licenses awarded those licenses to be clear. 40 percent have gone to people of color, and the whole point of it is to make sure that there is equity across our state for people who have been left out and left behind who’ve been the victims of the war on drugs.
Q: So I guess, governor, where can people go though, if they wanted to support a Black-owned recreational marijuana business? Where would they go to find that?
Pritzker: Those folks are seeking investment right now. In fact, they’re taking loans from the state, which is great. That’s exactly what this program is about. I want to point out another aspect of equity, which is that we’ve expunged 800,000 arrest records. Low-level cannabis arrest records, and pardoned people with low-level convictions. That was all part of this cannabis legalization program. I’m proud of that. We also have the R-3 program which Lieutenant Governor runs and which distributes money in some places that have been left out and left behind.
Q: We need to bring Senator Bailey into the discussion. You voted against recreational cannabis in Illinois. It’s a big topic nationally with President Biden announcing he would pardon thousands convicted of possession earlier this month. If elected as governor, will you reverse decriminalization of cannabis?
Bailey: Nope. I don’t see that happening. That’s not on my priority list. You know, I find it interesting that Governor Pritzker for four years equity equity, equity, and he finally had his opportunity with the recreational marijuana dispensaries, and he failed. Again. I’m out in the Black community. You probably saw me on Facebook a few weeks ago, since you saw everything else, when I was walking with the Black community up and down the streets of Chicago. And they were screaming foul because they can’t get the licenses. So I’d love to see some proof of these actual people, these 146 people who have supposedly are in the process of getting their licenses, because it’s not happening because many of those people are coming to me screening that foul and wondering what the problem is. I simply tell them, you’ve got a governor who can’t tell the truth.
Pritzker: Look, just like with abortion rights, where he opposes abortion, but then complains about how we’re going about providing the rights for people in Illinois. He opposes cannabis legalization. Now he wants to complain about how that legalization operates. Look, you’ve got to be at the table to get things done. You’ve got to work together with people. And indeed we have implemented equity across…
Bailey: Treat the Black people with respect, Governor.
Q: [Sighs.] We’re gonna move on…
Please pardon all transcription errors.
* The Question: Has Pritzker done enough to ensure equity in the recreational cannabis industry? Explain. Also, stick to the question that’s been asked. These can go off the rails fast.
Side question: Do you believe that Sen. Bailey wouldn’t try to roll back the recreational cannabis industry?
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Oct 19, 22 @ 2:31 pm
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He’s right. You can’t make litigation move quicker. And equity is about so much more than ownership which he got to in the follow up.
Comment by lol Wednesday, Oct 19, 22 @ 2:45 pm
I would say he’s done enough, but done it too slowly. I recognize it’s a tricky thing. You have to write evaluation criteria for applications and have an objective scoring system so you don’t get accused of favoritism. Then it becomes an issue of how well you structure the criteria to get the awardees you’re looking for, and how well the applicants fill out their leadership and board composition and such.
Comment by Earnest Wednesday, Oct 19, 22 @ 2:45 pm
To the first question, no, he hasn’t done enough. But it is encouraging that it’s being acknowledged and hopefully will improve.
To the second question, who knows? Bailey’s campaign seems nothing more than a Facebook live stunt that got out of hand. I have absolutely no clue as to how he would govern and that’s largely because he hasn’t given me one.
Comment by Pundent Wednesday, Oct 19, 22 @ 2:45 pm
That’s a tough one to answer since the Gov has to follow the law and the subsequent direction provided by the courts. I think he could have done it better (sometimes he’s too careful, which can cause its own set of problems), but it was all new ground and hindsight is 20:20.
With respect to Bailey, who knows? If he is as ignorant about how government and being governor works as he appears to be, and considering the ag and revenue angles, probably not. Then again, he seems more than able to shoot himself in the foot, so maybe he’ll take this on as a policy doomed to fail (like cutting K-12 spending).
Comment by Pot calling kettle Wednesday, Oct 19, 22 @ 2:48 pm
No. The time it has taken to roll this out, the false starts, the small number of licenses have made the whole process harder than it needed to be. The Governor isn’t solely responsible for these problems. The legislature made mistakes too. The federal government is years behind where they should be. Pritzker’s biggest mistake was probably overpromising, but there were things he could’ve done to get closer.
To the side question, I have no clue. Bailey probably doesn’t either. If he wins, he’ll be the smallest dog to ever catch the fire truck. Anything could happen.
Comment by vern Wednesday, Oct 19, 22 @ 2:48 pm
No, he hasn’t done enough. Yes, it is great that people with minor offenses had their records expunged. Personally, I think it should have gone farther - even if you were a dealer, if it was only for cannabis and nothing else, your record should have been expunged, too. You were selling something which shouldn’t have been illegal in the first place.
However well-intentioned the law is, the results show it isn’t doing what it intended. If it were, we would have a significant number of dispensaries owned by minorities and we don’t.
Another aspect of equity is this; the people who often bore the brunt of criminalization were fairly poor. Cannabis is pretty expensive in IL compared to most other states where it’s legal. Let anyone grow at home, not just medical patients. Remove the ridiculous cap on how much you can have, just as anyone can have a wine cellar with dozens/hundreds of bottles. Then low-income people can grow their own and not pay the high prices charged by dispensaries.
Comment by Techie Wednesday, Oct 19, 22 @ 3:00 pm
No. That staff is not good at the implementing part of things.
Most of the blame lies in all the sore loser lawsuits, but you gotta know that’s gonna happen.
But does anybody think a Gov Rauner or Gov Bailey would have even created a cannabis law, let alone an equity provision? No chance.
To the side question: I don’t think Senator Bailey will try to roll back anything, because he knows that as a minority party Senator he has no power to do so.
Comment by Ok Wednesday, Oct 19, 22 @ 3:01 pm
I think the intent of the program was there, but the actual results for true equity have been disappointing to say the least. But these are expensive operations, and can’t be built from the ground up quickly. Ask the question again in one year.
To the side question: I believe Governor Bailey would try to roll back legalization, but only after he repeals SAFE-T and abortion rights. /s?
Comment by Vote Quimby Wednesday, Oct 19, 22 @ 3:02 pm
Given the flawed statutes … yes.
Comment by Anyone Remember Wednesday, Oct 19, 22 @ 3:04 pm
No he hasn’t done enough, and they royally screwed up the rollout. They are mired in litigation because they didn’t get it right in the first place.
However, the idea that Bailey would do anything beneficial is laughable. He looks like a character from Reefer Madness and has the same mentality - he’d try to trash the whole program. There, everyone’s equal.
Comment by Ron Burgundy Wednesday, Oct 19, 22 @ 3:05 pm
To the question? No.
Why?
It’s already been scrutinized with implementation where the cooked-up agency issues with a cannabis czar that was a “Food and Beverage Chairman”, in a totality if one looks at the policies and where things stand, even statutory, no, it’s terribly weak to doing “enough” as this question narrowly asks…
Enough? No.
I do believe, on the sidebar, Bailey would make it known that he would be inclined to be a helper to roll back any or all cannabis legislation.
Bailey would use “it’s unfair so let’s scrap the whole thing” which wouldn’t be true to intent, but the vehicle to roll back all the same, if he could be part of that.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Oct 19, 22 @ 3:19 pm
Gov Pritzker has not done enough. The legislation wasn’t perfect (it never is) and being stuck in the courts. I hope it gets worked out.
Sen Baylee: no problem accepting tax dollars to babysit users and dealers in the prisons downstate. What does that cost per year person?
Comment by Jerry Wednesday, Oct 19, 22 @ 3:20 pm
First question: This is a slow and messy process that had many legal battles. I believe cannabis dispensaries will be represented equitably once more dispensaries are on board. Lot of NIMBY’s don’t want dispensaries in their neighbourhood *cough* Streeterville *cough*.
Second question: Absolutely Mr. Bailey would try and roll back legal cannabis. The fact that he can’t give a straight answer to this just like abortion tells you all you need to know.
Comment by Hot Taeks Wednesday, Oct 19, 22 @ 3:30 pm
COVID forced the cannabis rollout into the background, along with litigation and the problems inherent in setting up a system that is attempting to allow for minority ownership in an industry that is already dominated by experienced, large scale operators. Pritzker has done what he could under the circumstances. Progress made over the next two years will be a better indicator of whether he is engaged adequately. Legislation allowing people to grow their own would ease a lot of frustration. Although that would send the Illinois Sheriffs into a tizzy.
Bailey will attempt to sabotage everything Pritzker has done out of spite and incompetence. He will need all of the performative governing stunts he can muster to keep attention off of his inability to actually govern.
Comment by froganon Wednesday, Oct 19, 22 @ 3:31 pm
No. It was a rats nest of up front costs and requirements that cost a bunch of people a bunch of money — just to be in the running. Then it dragged along until many tapped out.
Bailey? I don’t trust (believe) that he won’t try to rollback this entire election, let alone any legislation he disagrees with, given time. And if this Facebook meeting is the one with ECCSC, they wanted reparations for people who broke the law and did time for something that is now legal. Who knows what’s actually afoot there.
Comment by XonXoff Wednesday, Oct 19, 22 @ 3:32 pm
I find it odd that from a macro perspective that we even care about pot. Having said that, if your macro priorities are abortion and gender, you know how to vote. If your priorities are education, crime and the economy, you know how to vote
Comment by JPF Wednesday, Oct 19, 22 @ 3:40 pm
That’s a…No/No.
I just bought an ounce of top shelf Runtz for 80 bucks…what would that cost at an Illinois dispensary?…they are ripping the shirt and shoes off of their unaware customers…not too cool.
Comment by Dotnonymous Wednesday, Oct 19, 22 @ 3:41 pm
Pritzker has done enough and will do more to advance the industry.
He will absolutely attempt to roll it back, especially since Pritzkerville is full of crime, corruption, gamblin, sinnin, and the devils lettuce. Fortunately for IL, there are not enough chumps in Bailey Park to ever run Pritzker out of town on a rail
Comment by Kayak Wednesday, Oct 19, 22 @ 3:43 pm
Answer is no, although he’s not to blame for the problems with the law. As a result we have high prices, mediocre product and too few dispensaries.
Comment by Furtive Look Wednesday, Oct 19, 22 @ 3:44 pm
1. “Implementation” is this Governor’s Achilles heel. Mendoza and Frerichs get high marks for administration. Kwame generally well except a security breach that DeVore neglectfully never mentions. White stopped doing IT upgrades in 2004. JB is somewhere in the middle.
2. Maybe. Bailey really wants to ingratiate himself with law enforcement, and they miss confiscating cannabis. Bailey would certainly oppose home cultivation, which let’s not forget is the promised next step. But his first priority as Governor are repealing abortion and shaming transgender kids, and that is what his first term would be spent on.
Comment by Juvenal Wednesday, Oct 19, 22 @ 4:59 pm
Big marijuana is sandbagging production, until time to run undesirables out with over abundance
Comment by Rabid Thursday, Oct 20, 22 @ 8:41 am