Pico Rivera reconsiders licensing marijuana companies – Whittier Daily News

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Almost two years after banning marijuana industrial, medical and retail operations within Pico Rivera, city council members have put the legalization of these businesses back on the table.

The reason is money.

“There is a potential income of $ 700,000 per year for the city,†City Councilor Andrew Lara said in a study session at the August 31 council meeting. “It would put this industry in the top third of tax revenue producers. It’s hard not to think about these tax revenues.

Additionally, back when Proposition 64, which legalized recreational marijuana in California, was on the ballot in 2016, voters in Pico Rivera approved it by a 53% to 47% margin. , said Lara.

“I suspect that number would be much higher today,” he said.

But there are still issues the board needs to consider before it can legalize marijuana, other board members said.

“The five of us are going to look at this through a neutral lens,” City Councilor Erik Lutz said in a telephone interview on Tuesday (September 7th). “I want to assess the pros and cons. “

For example, Lutz said, “When you have a lot of retail businesses, do you need to tighten up security and put more police in the neighborhood? “

City officials should contact residents, school board members, parents, the faith community and other community members, said city councilor Monica Sanchez, to determine what they think of welcoming children. marijuana based businesses.

City councilor Gustavo Camacho wonders if Pico Rivera wants to be called a city of cannabis.

When the council banned marijuana operations in 2019, a report from city staff said the ban on commercial cannabis “would prevent potentially damaging health, safety and quality of life issues.”

The staff report also cited “vagrancy, increased security risks to nearby residences and businesses, increased risk of theft and other crimes, hazardous waste, consumption of water and electricity and strong odors which may be detectable beyond the property lines â€.

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