Jim Finnel
Fallen Cannabis Warrior & Ex News Moderator
The cost of licensing a medical marijuana business in Pueblo nearly doubled as City Council unanimously raised the price to more than $6,000 Monday night.
Without any discussion, council accepted a recommendation from the city's legal department that the licensing fee be increased by $2,597 per license to cover the cost of police enforcement and inspection.
Assistant City Attorney Kurt Stiegelmeier said the city originally proposed — and council approved — licensing fees of $3,400 in July but that further discussions with Police Chief Jim Billings indicated the actual costs of police monitoring and inspection of those businesses would be substantially higher.
Council then unanimously approved the higher licensing fee of $6,069. The city is not currently considering licensing any medical marijuana business. State licenses for such businesses will not be available until next July and city staff does not anticipate licensing any medical marijuana businesses in Pueblo before then.
The higher license fee will be on top of the $2,000 in zoning fees assessed for those same businesses.
While council was in agreement over marijuana fees, it bickered over a grant request intended to complete the Lake Minnequa Park project.
The city is applying for a $700,000 grant from the Go Colorado fund that would be part of a $2.2 million effort to complete the sports field complex around the new park.
As outlined by staff, the city would contribute $1.1 million to the project and that was the rub Monday night. City Manager Jerry Pacheco had indicated that money could be acquired from the $7.5 million in advance tax revenues the city is receiving from Black Hills Energy this year.
Council has been debating for weeks how to spend the Black Hills money and Councilwoman Vera Ortegon urged that $500,000 of the $1.1 million that would be earmarked for the Minnequa project instead be diverted to street paving. She said city voters wanted to see some use of the Black Hills money on fundamental city problems, such as potholes, and she said the city could find an additional $500,000 for the Minnequa project from some other source next year.
Councilman Ray Aguilera, who has championed the Lake Minnequa Park project, bristled at that and told Ortegon council shouldn't tamper with the funding plan for completing the park project.
"You don't have the votes," he told her with some emotion, apparently referring to his fellow Democrats on the board — Council President Larry Atencio and Councilmen Leroy Garcia and Steve Nawrocki.
Ortegon said she wasn't trying to cut funding for the park, just trying to redirect some of the Black Hills revenue to street repairs next year. Other funding for the park could be found, she said.
Nawrocki interjected that he understood her intent, but said there were no guarantees the city could find $500,000 from other sources next year. With that, Nawrocki, Atencio, Garcia and Aguilera then voted down Ortegon's proposed amendment, which was supported by her fellow Republicans, Councilwoman Judy Weaver and Councilman Chris Kaufman.
"So you're voting against fixing the roads," Ortegon challenged Nawrocki, who fended off that accusation.
"You're putting me in that position. I'm for fixing our roads," he countered. "But we don't know where you're going to get that other $500,000 from or what that might affect."
"That's why I voted against it, too," Atencio told Ortegon.
NewsHawk: User: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: chieftain.com
Author: PETER ROPER
Copyright: 2010 The Pueblo Chieftain
Contact: The Pueblo Chieftain: Contact
Website: Council hikes fee for pot licenses - The Pueblo Chieftain: Local
Without any discussion, council accepted a recommendation from the city's legal department that the licensing fee be increased by $2,597 per license to cover the cost of police enforcement and inspection.
Assistant City Attorney Kurt Stiegelmeier said the city originally proposed — and council approved — licensing fees of $3,400 in July but that further discussions with Police Chief Jim Billings indicated the actual costs of police monitoring and inspection of those businesses would be substantially higher.
Council then unanimously approved the higher licensing fee of $6,069. The city is not currently considering licensing any medical marijuana business. State licenses for such businesses will not be available until next July and city staff does not anticipate licensing any medical marijuana businesses in Pueblo before then.
The higher license fee will be on top of the $2,000 in zoning fees assessed for those same businesses.
While council was in agreement over marijuana fees, it bickered over a grant request intended to complete the Lake Minnequa Park project.
The city is applying for a $700,000 grant from the Go Colorado fund that would be part of a $2.2 million effort to complete the sports field complex around the new park.
As outlined by staff, the city would contribute $1.1 million to the project and that was the rub Monday night. City Manager Jerry Pacheco had indicated that money could be acquired from the $7.5 million in advance tax revenues the city is receiving from Black Hills Energy this year.
Council has been debating for weeks how to spend the Black Hills money and Councilwoman Vera Ortegon urged that $500,000 of the $1.1 million that would be earmarked for the Minnequa project instead be diverted to street paving. She said city voters wanted to see some use of the Black Hills money on fundamental city problems, such as potholes, and she said the city could find an additional $500,000 for the Minnequa project from some other source next year.
Councilman Ray Aguilera, who has championed the Lake Minnequa Park project, bristled at that and told Ortegon council shouldn't tamper with the funding plan for completing the park project.
"You don't have the votes," he told her with some emotion, apparently referring to his fellow Democrats on the board — Council President Larry Atencio and Councilmen Leroy Garcia and Steve Nawrocki.
Ortegon said she wasn't trying to cut funding for the park, just trying to redirect some of the Black Hills revenue to street repairs next year. Other funding for the park could be found, she said.
Nawrocki interjected that he understood her intent, but said there were no guarantees the city could find $500,000 from other sources next year. With that, Nawrocki, Atencio, Garcia and Aguilera then voted down Ortegon's proposed amendment, which was supported by her fellow Republicans, Councilwoman Judy Weaver and Councilman Chris Kaufman.
"So you're voting against fixing the roads," Ortegon challenged Nawrocki, who fended off that accusation.
"You're putting me in that position. I'm for fixing our roads," he countered. "But we don't know where you're going to get that other $500,000 from or what that might affect."
"That's why I voted against it, too," Atencio told Ortegon.
NewsHawk: User: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: chieftain.com
Author: PETER ROPER
Copyright: 2010 The Pueblo Chieftain
Contact: The Pueblo Chieftain: Contact
Website: Council hikes fee for pot licenses - The Pueblo Chieftain: Local
