Correcting Course on Cannabis
Dear Editor,
In Monday night’s council meeting it was encouraging to see what appears to be a change in perspective of councillors and the Council alike at the prospect of marijuana dispensaries in Revere. I last wrote in almost a decade ago, urging residents and citizens to “End Reefer Madness” and reconsider their views of marijuana when a medical dispensary was proposed for Railroad Avenue. My reasonings were two:
1. Great economic benefit for the city
2. outdated viewpoints on marijuana left from the war on drugs era get in the way of progress
For one reason or another, plans stalled, it never happened, and residents voted NO with dispensaries losing out in Revere in 2016 by a narrow margin of 9,197 to 10,202.
Fast forward 10 years. A lot’s changed since December 2015. Except for the amount of money that the city has received from marijuana tax revenue. That remains at a neat $0.00. The three-year averages revenue for surrounding communities that were quoted in this week’s city council meeting ranged from $270,000 to $1,000,000 in yearly revenue that was received. Those numbers are just to get an idea at what we could have missed out on with the years of prohibition of marijuana sales in Revere. That extra cash could have gone a long way in improving our City and daily life for the residents.
As Councillor McKenna pointed out, she voted ‘no’ originally because everything was so new, and no-one could predict what the consequences were, but she has since changed her mind after looking at all the data that has come out. I hope this is a perspective that others can adopt as well. It is certainly one more suited for today’s Revere than the outdated ones hammered into us by programs such as DARE. Not to mention, if we don’t, and stand by prohibition, it’s just rejecting a very nice revenue stream. Bad management in my opinion.
During the meeting, Councillor Kelley mentioned she had amendments she wanted to file. I think one of her amendments, of directing 100% of proceeds received from any marijuana endeavors to the high school stabilization fund, is ridiculous and shortsighted. Unfortunately, it seems this view might be shared by others on the council as well. That does little to help the majority of the residents of the City — If anything the majority of proceeds the city raises from a marijuana tax should go to fixing and repairing city infrastructure, roads, pipes, etc., traffic management, or public events and festivals as the City has begun hosting more of in recent years.
Should some of the revenue go towards the High School stabilization fund? Sure, Absolutely. There will be plenty to go around. But let’s be real, that is going to be a black hole of cost and development over the foreseeable future, and foolhardily diverting the most promising new revenue stream the city has seen in years to it will probably do more to pad a developers’ pockets than it would to improve day-to-day life for residents of Revere.
I’d like to give props to Councillor Silvestri for his continued advocacy for marijuana and their establishments being able to operate in Revere. He highlighted a good point that I mentioned in my last letter way back. We’re so uptight about dispensaries in Revere, and yet there’s a liquor store on seemingly every corner. I’ve seen much worse come from alcohol than I’ve ever seen from weed. It’s silly and it’s time we get with the times.
I’ll be following along in the next zoning subcommittee meeting to see what comes next. I hope that our leaders will make the right choices. The marijuana money train is inbound, and there’s so much good it could do. Let’s spend it wisely. Kane DiMasso-Scott
