Hello,
This is my contribution to Citizen's Discussion at Tuesday's City Council meeting:
Good morning,
Our Mayor and some members of council used to claim to be opposed to the sale of recreational marijuana in our city.
I emailed all of you with my concerns about the public being tricked, and the Gazette even printed my material.
I cannot imagine that the failure to inform the voters of the potential harmful effects of the measure was an accident.
The backers of 300, the opposition to 300, city officials and even the media did not warn voters and now refuse to discuss the travesty in context with the public.
For some reason the public reads that Manitou Springs expects to lose 30% of their general fund but cannot make the connection or realize that we did that great harm to them, and that this invalidates the measure entirely.
Instead of informing voters that it appears that we made a terrible mistake our Mayor and Council go back and forth on how to spend the estimated $1.7 million that we will collect this year.
Just for fun, tell me how much the city has collected in tax revenue from the sale of recreational marijuana since the middle of
April.
Is it bigger than a bread box?
I really want to hear the number.
I fear that our leaders are no longer credible or trustworthy.
We all make mistakes, and the mark of a great leader is a willingness to rise above the past and set things right.
The measure on the ballot to ban the sale of recreational marijuana in our city got 49% of the votes in favor.
Would it have passed if voters had known that Manitou Springs would lose 30% of their general fund?
No city officials or media are crying foul.
Should voters be upset about this now?
What is the opinion of our City Attorney's office?
Was the public tricked?
Were the flaws in the process that led to the measure being approved enough for it to be legally invalid?
Have the Mayor or any member of Council discussed this issue with the City Attorney's office?
Please let me know what they say.
Thank you, Carl Strow