Pot shop ban would cost city lost tax revenue
Here’s Greg Reibman’s column about the potential fiscal impact of a proposed ban on recreational marijuana stores here, as it appears on the Newton-Needham Regional Chamber’s website.
A ballot referendum that would ban the sale of adult-use recreational marijuana in Newton would result in the loss of millions of dollars annually in local tax revenue, according to city projections.
Given the nascent nature of the marijuana industry, it is difficult to pinpoint exactly how much revenue could be on the table. However, the revenue from a three percent local recreational marijuana tax and up to three percent in local host agreements could yield over $2 million and perhaps more, said Jonathan Yeo, chief operating officer for the City of Newton.
“These new dollars could potentially equal or exceed the [$1.95 million] Newton now collects annually from the local meals taxes from 400 restaurants,” Yeo said.
Marijuana Retail Zoning Ordinance
There are misleading ads and literature circulating about where retail adult-use marijuana retail stores may be sited in Newton. There are only a few sites that have been approved by Zoning and Planning for the Planning Department....City Council approves medical and recreational* marijuana shops
Patients who are undergoing chemotherapy, suffering from multiple sclerosis, AIDS, chronic pain or other ailments will soon have access to the city’s second medical marijuana dispensary following overwhelming approval Monday by the Newton City Council. This new...
New ballot question committee formed to oppose pot shop ban
An organization called “Respect the Vote, Newton” filed a statement of organization last week for the purpose of “advocacy for the legal sale of cannabis to adults in Newton, Massachusetts.” The chair is listed as Victor Chiang from Wellesley....Two Sunday Globe articles look at recreational marijuana debate
Globe’s John Hilliard provides an overview of the two recreational marijuana ballot questions that will go before Newton voters on Nov. 6 and this Sunday’s “The Argument” column asks the question: Have cities and towns moved too quickly to ban...Discuss Thursday’s all-marijuana special City Council meeting here.
It will be a (virtual) smoke-filled room Thursday Sept. 13 at 7 p.m. when the Newton City Council holds an all-marijuana special meeting to weed through an bouquet of cannabis-related docket items:
Mayor Fuller requests three marijuana-related ballot questions
In a letter to the City Council, Mayor Fuller asked councilors to docket three separate ballot questions about marijuana retail shops on the November 2018 ballot. Click here to read Mayor Fuller’s memo. Proposed questions are: 1. Shall the city adopt the...What happens next to recreational marijuana in Newton (with a new twist)
City Council President Marc Laredo released this memo today regarding the fate of the proposed ballot question that would ban on recreational marijuana store in Newton (including a twist in terms of when the referendum might be held).
To: City Council
From: President Laredo
Re: Process regarding possible ballot questions relating to a ban or limit on the number of retail marijuana outlets in Newton
Date: August 28, 2018
Under the new marijuana law, Newton must issue at least eight licenses for retail marijuana establishments (one-quarter of the number of liquor licenses) unless the voters give the City Council the authority to ban or otherwise limit the number of retail marijuana outlets in Newton to fewer than eight. In July, we passed a measure to place on the November ballot the question of whether Newton should limit the number of such establishments to 2-4 (with the exact number to be left to the Council’s discretion), but
Opt-Out group seeking recreational marijuana ban has needed signatures
Opt Out Newton, the citizens group seeking a ban on retail marijuana stores is believed to have collected in excess of the 6,000 signatures it needs to go back before the City Council. The council will now be asked to put the ban on the November ballot. The petitions...Vote on recreational marijuana at Garden Remedies delayed until Sept
City Councilor and Land Use Committee chair Greg Schwartz last night chartered a vote by the Council on the special permit for Garden Remedies to sell recreational marijuana until September. The TAB’s story is here.The 2nd most interesting thing about Monday’s marijuana ban vote
In front of a passionate standing-room-only crowd Monday, the Newton City Council voted 13-8 against placing a question on the November ballot asking voters if they would like to ban all recreational marijuana stores in Newton. Later, in a 18-2 vote, the council...