The Paonia Town Council voted at their July 13 meeting to authorize an intergovernmental agreement with the Delta County Clerk and Recorder to hold a mail ballot election this year. The trustees approved a special election on Nov. 2 using mail ballots.
This was the first step that needed to be taken in order to have a spot in the upcoming elections. The council must decide by Sept. 3 what the election will encompass.
As of the meeting, but yet to be approved by council, the items on the mail ballot will probably be focused on whether the townspeople want medical marijuana dispensaries, commercial growing operations and marijuana infused products to be allowed within town limits. The mail ballot will likely give Paonia voters a "Yes" or "No" choice on whether to allow the businesses in town. The ballot should include the ordinance with regulations for medical marijuana businesses. That ordinance would become law, probably 30 days after the election and being published. If the majority of the voters select "No" then the ordinance will not be enacted and medical marijuana businesses would be banned within town limits. All voters will also decide whether to allow the Town of Paonia to collect a two percent sales tax on medical marijuana products should they continue to be legal after the election.
The ballot will not change the legal use of medical marijuana for card holders and their caregivers, which was approved by Colorado voters in 2000.
Town clerk Barbara Peterson noted it costs taxpayers $2,500 to have a polling place while a mail ballot election costs between $800 and $900. Paonia voters mostly stayed home rather than go to the polling place at town hall during the last election. Greater voter participation is anticipated with the mail ballots.
The council will have work sessions to finanlize the the ordinance before Sept. 3, when all items for the election must be submitted. There was a work session Tuesday, July 20.
NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: Delta County Independent
Author: Kathy Browning
Contact: Delta County Independent
Copyright: 2010 Delta County Independent
Website: Paonia voters will decide fate of medical marijuana businesses
* Thanks to MedicalNeed for submitting this article
This was the first step that needed to be taken in order to have a spot in the upcoming elections. The council must decide by Sept. 3 what the election will encompass.
As of the meeting, but yet to be approved by council, the items on the mail ballot will probably be focused on whether the townspeople want medical marijuana dispensaries, commercial growing operations and marijuana infused products to be allowed within town limits. The mail ballot will likely give Paonia voters a "Yes" or "No" choice on whether to allow the businesses in town. The ballot should include the ordinance with regulations for medical marijuana businesses. That ordinance would become law, probably 30 days after the election and being published. If the majority of the voters select "No" then the ordinance will not be enacted and medical marijuana businesses would be banned within town limits. All voters will also decide whether to allow the Town of Paonia to collect a two percent sales tax on medical marijuana products should they continue to be legal after the election.
The ballot will not change the legal use of medical marijuana for card holders and their caregivers, which was approved by Colorado voters in 2000.
Town clerk Barbara Peterson noted it costs taxpayers $2,500 to have a polling place while a mail ballot election costs between $800 and $900. Paonia voters mostly stayed home rather than go to the polling place at town hall during the last election. Greater voter participation is anticipated with the mail ballots.
The council will have work sessions to finanlize the the ordinance before Sept. 3, when all items for the election must be submitted. There was a work session Tuesday, July 20.
NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: Delta County Independent
Author: Kathy Browning
Contact: Delta County Independent
Copyright: 2010 Delta County Independent
Website: Paonia voters will decide fate of medical marijuana businesses
* Thanks to MedicalNeed for submitting this article
