By Deb Murphy
Despite a strong showing to let Mono County’s cannabis business moratorium die December 2, the Board of Supervisors approved a year’s extension at last Tuesday’s meeting. The logic: the moratorium can be lifted at any time but the County wants to make sure they get this whole pot thing right.
The County followed the Town of Mammoth Lakes’ moratorium extension to September 6 and both followed Inyo’s moratorium vote earlier this month. The legal logic for Inyo’s action was to prevent businesses operating on a state license, in essence, being grandfathered in when Inyo finalized its own county-specific regulations.
But, both Mono and Mammoth have yet to pass a tax on commercial operations. According to Supervisor Stacy Corless, the board is considering a November 2018 ballot tax measure.
The state has issued emergency regulations in effect for the next 120 days. Plans are still a go for state licensing by January 1.
During the Supervisors’ public comment period, Eric Edgerton suggested a variation on the state’s interim regulations in the form of a provisional permit. This would allow businesses to get in the queue and start the process of getting insurance and security systems. “There’s nothing to gain by a delay,” Edgerton said.
Considering most of Mono County’s abbreviated growing season, potential cultivators were concerned an extended moratorium could virtually eliminate a 2018 crop.
Another suggestion: “decouple” retail businesses from distribution and cultivation operations. Supervisor John Peters asked staff to look into the concept.
The Supervisors stuck to their extension. “To do this right takes time,” said Peters. “We’ve taken the approach to do something.”
Peters stressed the County’s stance was a sustainable set of regs that wouldn’t over-regulate or over-tax cannabis businesses but would still be fair to taxpayers.
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I was born 6/20/1960 And every person i have ever met who uses HEROIN also smokes POT.
HMMM .
Yea, hangout with a lot of Heroin addicts do you? What percentage of people who medicate with cannabis also enjoy a little special H on the side? I’m thinking that percentage is a tad lower. While we’re on the topic, did those Heroin users also drink or smoke cigarettes, or drive cars for that matter? I guess they didn’t teach a lot about logical fallacies in school back then…
INYOFACE……but how many pot smokers do you know also shoot heroin ?….apples and oranges….most heroin users will use anything and everything and along with heroin to get and stay zoned out…I was born 3/19/1954 and never in my life have I known a pot smoker that’s addicted to heroin…. in my old Oregon days and somewhat around some bad seeds back then,heroin users I happened to have to deal with would do anything and everything to keep from feeling bad and coming down…pot,meth,alcohol,you name it….they did it…
Inyoface, I might agree with you on this; heroin is indeed a gateway drug.
Mono County, the people have spoken, get on board or get left behind.
The people have voted. The supervisors need to get off the fence and support the will of the people !! Their “ wait and see” is laziness because they don’t want to deal with marijuana. The same voters who voted for our county to legally allow adults to cultivate and sell marijuana can vote these supervisors out of office. Right? The majority rules, Supervisors, get with the program or you will be out of office. Seems pretty simple if we stand together.
Well I guess I’ll continue to do my shopping up in Reno. I’m sure the city and State of Nevada would appreciate my tax dollars.
What does it really matter anyway….for those that choose to smoke weed,weather it be Inyo or Mono County,is there anyone,if wanting to make a purchase, can’t do it….and quickly.. unless there’s a legal,high-taxed pot shop around to buy it from ?….come on, man !!
Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want and deserve to get it good and hard. – H. L. Mencken
The people have voted and passed pro pot measures in Both County’s and the state. The Supervisors ether get on board or get replaced in the next vote for not fallowing the will of the people. That is how this works. Vote to replace anyone that will not stand up and support the will of the people.
OH , You mean Remove or Fire any dissenting opinions or voices .
How Communist of you.
INYOFACE…How the heck can you say that,beins the people of California voted to legalize marijuana ?….the “Supervisors” SHOULD listen to the will and the vote of the people,not think they’re better and smarter than the people (the voter ) making the decisions…we already have that going on in the White House,their way of thinking about issues,not what the majority of the citizens want happening.Let’s keep that kind of thinking far,far away and where it doesn’t effect us living around here.