MedicalNeed
New Member
Marc Whitehill
We, the patients, board members, owners and providers of the Boulder Creek Collective, wish to extend a heartfelt thanks to Sentinel reporter Kurtis Alexander for his interest in this news worthy event of our times. His article, titled "Rise of pot dispensaries in Santa Cruz County may prompt new regulation" in the July 27 edition of the Santa Cruz Sentinel highlights the disparity between Prop .215, Senate Bill 420 and the state's preparedness for medical marijuana as an actuality.
We further wish to extend our thanks to the supervisors of the county of Santa Cruz, for allowing the Boulder Creek Collective to operate and care for its members. While many counties are installing arbitrary and unrealistic rules in regards to cannabis collectives, we are grateful for the opportunity to develop unfettered by untested regulation. Ultimately, the county will find it necessary to regulate the industry. In the meantime, we are free to develop a safe and effective collective model. We recognize this opportunity as a privilege and we hope to honor it appropriately.
There is another issue facing the county. How will the present move towards legalization effect Santa Cruz County? On an annual basis, hundreds of millions of dollars in both legal and black market cannabis is produced in Santa Cruz County. This money is spent in the county and makes up a vital part of the local economy. As we inevitably move towards full legalization, plans for commercial production and distribution are being developed and implemented in various counties across the state. None of these plans involve Santa Cruz County.
As we see it, Santa Cruz County has two essential choices. The first choice is to ignore approaching legalization and let the chips fall where they may. We, the Boulder Creek Collective, believe that this will lead to the loss of many hundreds of millions of dollars in general income to the citizens of Santa Cruz County and cost the county a unique opportunity to meet all of its social obligations and desires.
The second choice involves the county and its residents recognizing the important and entrenched role that cannabis production plays in Santa Cruz County. For decades, cannabis production has been an important source of income for many residents in the county. The vast majority of growers, grow marijuana for a second income. They pay for braces, car repairs and school supplies with the income. If the county were to recognize the importance of this income to the community and take steps to work in partnership with the growers of Santa Cruz County, amazing things could be achieved. A new, legal industry could bring vast sums of money to local workers while providing the county with a large, new tax base -- a tax base that would pay for the parks, senior care, child care, emergency services, etc,. that we struggle to pay for now.
In summary, the Boulder Creek Collective would like to invite the county of Santa Cruz to engage in a dialogue regarding the eventual legalization of marijuana and the role Santa Cruz County and its residents would like to play in this process. An amazing opportunity stands before us all and it is up to us to work together and work hard to take the fullest advantage of this amazing moment in time.
Marc Whitehill is the administrator of the Boulder Creek Collective.
NewsHawk: MedicalNeed: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: Home - Santa Cruz Sentinel
Author: Marc Whitehill
Contact: Contact us - Santa Cruz Sentinel
Copyright: © 2010 - Santa Cruz Sentinel
Website: Marc Whitehill: Legalizing marijuana could be an economic boon for county - Santa Cruz Sentinel
We, the patients, board members, owners and providers of the Boulder Creek Collective, wish to extend a heartfelt thanks to Sentinel reporter Kurtis Alexander for his interest in this news worthy event of our times. His article, titled "Rise of pot dispensaries in Santa Cruz County may prompt new regulation" in the July 27 edition of the Santa Cruz Sentinel highlights the disparity between Prop .215, Senate Bill 420 and the state's preparedness for medical marijuana as an actuality.
We further wish to extend our thanks to the supervisors of the county of Santa Cruz, for allowing the Boulder Creek Collective to operate and care for its members. While many counties are installing arbitrary and unrealistic rules in regards to cannabis collectives, we are grateful for the opportunity to develop unfettered by untested regulation. Ultimately, the county will find it necessary to regulate the industry. In the meantime, we are free to develop a safe and effective collective model. We recognize this opportunity as a privilege and we hope to honor it appropriately.
There is another issue facing the county. How will the present move towards legalization effect Santa Cruz County? On an annual basis, hundreds of millions of dollars in both legal and black market cannabis is produced in Santa Cruz County. This money is spent in the county and makes up a vital part of the local economy. As we inevitably move towards full legalization, plans for commercial production and distribution are being developed and implemented in various counties across the state. None of these plans involve Santa Cruz County.
As we see it, Santa Cruz County has two essential choices. The first choice is to ignore approaching legalization and let the chips fall where they may. We, the Boulder Creek Collective, believe that this will lead to the loss of many hundreds of millions of dollars in general income to the citizens of Santa Cruz County and cost the county a unique opportunity to meet all of its social obligations and desires.
The second choice involves the county and its residents recognizing the important and entrenched role that cannabis production plays in Santa Cruz County. For decades, cannabis production has been an important source of income for many residents in the county. The vast majority of growers, grow marijuana for a second income. They pay for braces, car repairs and school supplies with the income. If the county were to recognize the importance of this income to the community and take steps to work in partnership with the growers of Santa Cruz County, amazing things could be achieved. A new, legal industry could bring vast sums of money to local workers while providing the county with a large, new tax base -- a tax base that would pay for the parks, senior care, child care, emergency services, etc,. that we struggle to pay for now.
In summary, the Boulder Creek Collective would like to invite the county of Santa Cruz to engage in a dialogue regarding the eventual legalization of marijuana and the role Santa Cruz County and its residents would like to play in this process. An amazing opportunity stands before us all and it is up to us to work together and work hard to take the fullest advantage of this amazing moment in time.
Marc Whitehill is the administrator of the Boulder Creek Collective.
NewsHawk: MedicalNeed: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: Home - Santa Cruz Sentinel
Author: Marc Whitehill
Contact: Contact us - Santa Cruz Sentinel
Copyright: © 2010 - Santa Cruz Sentinel
Website: Marc Whitehill: Legalizing marijuana could be an economic boon for county - Santa Cruz Sentinel
