Ron Strider
Well-Known Member
Governor-elect Phil Murphy has vowed to legalize marijuana in New Jersey during his first 100 days in office, but members of Linden's city council are concerned about how the bill is going to impact them and surrounding municipalities.
"There are a lot of questions that need to be asked. Once you open up this box it's a lot harder to retract it," said Linden councilman Peter Brown. "No one can say how it's going to locally impact Linden."
"A lot of the research that's been done, they look at how much money it's going to bring in from the state and not the affect it's going to have locally," he said.
Brown is now heading Linden's ad hoc committee, which includes Councilmen Ralph Strano and Armando Medina. The group, formed Nov. 21, will evaluate the social, economic and quality-of-life impact that the legalization of marijuana would have on the city. The councilmen are concerned that the bill does not address issues such as public health and the effect of legalization on law enforcement.
The new committee will consult with colleges and universities to see if studies that look at these issues are available. In addition, Brown says he plans to visit Colorado and California to speak with local officials about how it has affected their communities through his non-profit organization.
While Linden's council can't supersede the legalization law if it is passed, the town can make ordinances regulating specifics such as where marijuana is sold in their city.
"I mean we can't have dispensaries on Wood Avenue. There's five schools near there. What about the affects on school, our children?" said Brown.
Strano said he's confident the Linden committee's concerns will be dealt with at the state level.
"I definitely think they'll address it. For anyone to just shrug our shoulders and not address it would be kind of irresponsible," Strano said. "If it's going to be a burden on the local government bodies, the state has to address that. There's a legislative responsibility."
Mike Cerra, assistant executive director at the New Jersey League of Municipalities, said a growing number of towns will likely form similar councils as the state gets close to considering the legalization legislation. The league also has a task force to study the affects of legalization on municipalities.
"It does behoove us a little bit in thinking about this now so we are prepared," Cerra said.
Lodi's borough council is also trying to find a better understanding of the impact on their municipal by reviewing their ordinances related to their smoke shops.
Under the current bill, municipalities would receive 1 percent of the tax revenue from weed sales the first year, and 3 percent every year afterwards. However, the state would receive 5 percent of the revenue the first year and that would jump to 25 percent starting the third year and every year afterward.
The bill allows residents to possess up to one ounce of dried marijuana, and also would allow people who have been arrested for pot possession to have their record expunged.
Recreational marijuana is legal in nine states including the District of Columbia. The person working to make New Jersey the 10th state is State Sen. Nick Scutari. In addition to being the author of the bill, Scutari is also Linden's prosecutor.
Brown says he has attempted to reach out to Scutari about the bill, but he said Scutari hasn't addressed his concerns about the bill.
Scutari did not return requests for comment this week.
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"There are a lot of questions that need to be asked. Once you open up this box it's a lot harder to retract it," said Linden councilman Peter Brown. "No one can say how it's going to locally impact Linden."
"A lot of the research that's been done, they look at how much money it's going to bring in from the state and not the affect it's going to have locally," he said.
Brown is now heading Linden's ad hoc committee, which includes Councilmen Ralph Strano and Armando Medina. The group, formed Nov. 21, will evaluate the social, economic and quality-of-life impact that the legalization of marijuana would have on the city. The councilmen are concerned that the bill does not address issues such as public health and the effect of legalization on law enforcement.
The new committee will consult with colleges and universities to see if studies that look at these issues are available. In addition, Brown says he plans to visit Colorado and California to speak with local officials about how it has affected their communities through his non-profit organization.
While Linden's council can't supersede the legalization law if it is passed, the town can make ordinances regulating specifics such as where marijuana is sold in their city.
"I mean we can't have dispensaries on Wood Avenue. There's five schools near there. What about the affects on school, our children?" said Brown.
Strano said he's confident the Linden committee's concerns will be dealt with at the state level.
"I definitely think they'll address it. For anyone to just shrug our shoulders and not address it would be kind of irresponsible," Strano said. "If it's going to be a burden on the local government bodies, the state has to address that. There's a legislative responsibility."
Mike Cerra, assistant executive director at the New Jersey League of Municipalities, said a growing number of towns will likely form similar councils as the state gets close to considering the legalization legislation. The league also has a task force to study the affects of legalization on municipalities.
"It does behoove us a little bit in thinking about this now so we are prepared," Cerra said.
Lodi's borough council is also trying to find a better understanding of the impact on their municipal by reviewing their ordinances related to their smoke shops.
Under the current bill, municipalities would receive 1 percent of the tax revenue from weed sales the first year, and 3 percent every year afterwards. However, the state would receive 5 percent of the revenue the first year and that would jump to 25 percent starting the third year and every year afterward.
The bill allows residents to possess up to one ounce of dried marijuana, and also would allow people who have been arrested for pot possession to have their record expunged.
Recreational marijuana is legal in nine states including the District of Columbia. The person working to make New Jersey the 10th state is State Sen. Nick Scutari. In addition to being the author of the bill, Scutari is also Linden's prosecutor.
Brown says he has attempted to reach out to Scutari about the bill, but he said Scutari hasn't addressed his concerns about the bill.
Scutari did not return requests for comment this week.
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Town worried about legalizing weed launches group to study marijuana's effects | NJ.com
Author: Taylor Tiamoyo Harris
Contact: Contact Us information, user services and more on NJ.com | NJ.com Community -
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Website: New Jersey Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - NJ.com
