Two months after opening, $200K in taxes kicked back to city, and...
..."recreational marijuana" in El Paso County...specifically, Manitou, next to Colorado Springs...has a measure on the ballot to shut it down.
It originated from the owner of the "Garden Of The Gods Trading Post"...a local businessman and Republican, a guy who could afford to get this on the ballot, so he did.
All of the claims...people moving away, "weed with roots in hell" abuse at the local high school, deviants walking the streets, traffic congestion all over the once-quaint city...it's all crap. No incidents, a business ("Maggie's Farm"
that is run like a military complex, and...as I said in the subject line of my post...$2 MILLION in the first two months that resulted in $200K going to the city in taxes.
Here's an article that explains it all. Since most of the paragraphs are one-sentence paragraphs, the article is impossible to excerpt in any meaningful way...you'll just have to click through to get the fulll context:
Oct 7, 2014 9:14 PM by Maddie Garrett
Election Watch 2014: Voters to Decide on Retail Pot Ban in Manitou Springs
Voters will decide whether to ban retail pot sales in Manitou Springs, just months after the first sales began there. Ballot measure 2G is stirring up controversy in the community, if it passes recreational marijuana sales would come to an end. A "yes" vote on the ballot measure, 2G, would ban retail pot in Manitou Springs and that extra revenue would disappear.
Tim Haas, owner of the Garden of the Gods Trading Post, organized the group "No Retail Marijuana in Manitou Springs" in an effort to stop the sales.
***
Those fears include increased panhandling, a negative reputation, increased crime and drug problems. But so far, there's no concrete evidence that those perceived problems are becoming a reality.
Maggie's Farm does have its medical marijuana license, but currently only sells recreational marijuana at the Manitou Springs location. Conkling wouldn't speculate on what he'll do if the retail pot ban passes.
