“This is cannabis capitalism run amuck, it’s the fastest growing business in our city”
- Charlie Brown
City Council Member
District 6
It’s not just the media taking note of the City’s newest growth industry…Denver City Council held an informational briefing this week to get a clearer picture of how - or whether - the City will play a role in regulating medical marijuana dispensaries.
Colorado voter’s passed Amendment 20 nine years ago this week. The measure allows for the growth, consumption or dispensing of marijuana IF you are a medical marijuana patient or a primary care-giver to a patient… but it also created a legal riddle…
“It was legal to have the medical marijuana on the receiving end, but there was a complete unknown on the dispensing end.”
David Broadwell
Assistant City Attorney
City Attorney’s Office
This issue has become a bit more complicated by a recent opinion from the Federal Department of Justice that said they were going to take a more relaxed view toward Federal enforcement in States, like Colorado, that have medical marijuana laws.
Council members heard from several city agencies ranging from Excise and license and environmental health to zoning, treasury and the police department on their experiences with the phenomenon.
And State Senator Chris Romer, who’s Senate District covers parts of several Council Districts, was also present to speak to regulation at the State level.
“I think a robust and I mean a very robust regulatory environment is probably where I lean. And let me also be very clear that within that regulatory environment the way Denver manages that program should be different than the way that Greely or Pueblo manages that program.”
Sen. Chris Romer (D)
District 32
Colorado State Senate
Often holding opposing views on other city issues, District 6 Councilman Charlie Brown and District 7 Councilman Chris Nevitt disagreed on how much regulation the burgeoning industry should face BUT both did agree that the City should start seeking sales tax from the dispensaries since the city provides the same overall services that are in place to any other business or resident in Denver.
Voters Reject Initiative 300
Denver’s coordinated election yielded some remarkable results for the Car Impound law - and - a shakeup on the D-P-S School Board.
Most notably, was the defeat of Ballot Initiative 300 – which was back on the ballot for revisions just a year after the measure was approved last fall.
300 sought to modify the bill known as the Vehicle Impound law by removing an arresting officer’s discretion when stopping an unlicensed driver. It also contains specific wording that would have to be applied to a suspect’s immigration status.
Voters resoundingly defeated the measure – effectively retaining an officer’s discretion in deciding whether to impound a vehicle after a stop or not based on circumstances and their experience.
School Board Results
It was a record turn-out for a School-Board Race. The non-partisan races will change the make-up of the board as only one incumbent ran in the four races so now there will be three new faces joining the group – And the results ran the full gamut of results - with one landslide; one, barely carrying a majority; and another just gaining a small plurality of votes.
In the At-Large race engaging voters from across the city , Mary Seawell soundly defeated Christopher Scott.
In Southwest Denver’s District 2, Andrea Merida squeeked by Ismael Garcia with barely over half choosing her for the seat.
School District 3 located in East Central returns incumbent Jeanne Kaplan, who ran unopposed.
And Northeast Denver hosts School District 4 – where Nate Easley led a field of five candidates to earn the school board seat with just over a third of votes picking him for the job.
These new board members will work directly with Superintendant Tom Boasberg. Boasberg was hired just this year to replace the Michael Bennet when he was taped for the US Senate. You can hear from the new Superintendent who joined us here at Denver 8 for a discussion of Denver Public Schools greatest challenges and opportunities.
There’s a last chance for you to can learn these for yourself, in our Issues and Options program. The two final replays of the program are this weekend,
Saturday morning at 11:30a.m. and then the next day Sunday also in the morning that time at 10:00 a.m.
Denver’s Ambassador Street
A very select group of voters also approved a plan to give Downtown Denver’s 14th street a makeover to become Denver’s ‘Ambassador’ street.
Private property owners along the entire 12 block length between Market Street and Colfax Avenue approved the formation of a General Improvement District to which they will contribute $4 million of the $14 million over all cost for streetscape improvements.
Sidewalks will be expanded, making room for outdoor seating, ground floor shopping and dining – all to create a diverse, visitor-oriented corridor leading to the Colorado Convention center, Denver Performing Arts Center and new hotels.
200 more trees will be added to the street along with improved, increased street signage.
The ambitious plans are meant to complement the 16th street mall and expand the area that attracts and accommodate visitors and locals alike.
Seedco Audit Report
Denver is finding out how distressing it is to learn that you’ve hired someone to do work that you could do better yourself.
That’s the lesson being learned from an audit of Seedco Financial Services.
Seedco was first retained by the Office of Economic Development in 2007 to provide funding and technical assistance to small businesses, non-profits and major commercial projects in low income and distressed Denver communities. Seedco is funded by the city… through Community Development Block Grants from the federal government.
Denver Auditor Dennis Gallagher released a much anticipated – and highly critical audit of Seedco on Monday.
Several performance deficiencies were found – including the failure to meet job creation goals, and to comply with the terms of the contract. The audit also found at least one questionable loan that may not be in compliance with federal requirements for the funds.
Gallagher noted that three years into their contract with Denver, Seedco is performing like a start-up company rather than living up to their reputation as an efficient entity.
Furthermore, he added that the City’s own Office of Economic Development’s loan performance far outperformed Seedco in both 2008 and 2009 – which, as he pointed out is both good news and bad news.
The Seedco contract is scheduled for consideration in the Neighborhood, Community and Business Development committee meeting this coming Tuesday.
Graffiti Vandal Eats Words
In a case of eating one’s words – a graffiti vandal who once bragged that he’d never be caught, was found guilty by a Denver Jury last week.
The case is actually a considerable break-through for Denver Police.
Timothy Barajas was convicted of three counts of criminal mischief, three counts of defacing public property and one count of trespassing.
He is scheduled to appear for sentencing on December 29, and could face up to 36 months in the Denver County Jail.
Barajas was the leader of a Denver area tagging crew. Many more members of that gang have also been identified and arrested this year.
While criminal enforcement is an important aspect of dealing with the graffiti problem, there is much more to this issue…
We have more on efforts to curb the spread of graffiti throughout Denver – that’s coming up in our Safety committee report.