By Chris Hotchkin
On January 1, 2020, it will be
legal to purchase, possess, and use recreational cannabis in Illinois. The
selling of cannabis will be regulated and taxed by the state and municipalities
within the state. Municipalities across the state are currently engaging in
debate as to whether to permit licensed cannabis vendors within certain zones
within their villages or towns--whether to “opt in” or “opt out” of this
potential sales tax revenue. Municipal governments that decide to allow
cannabis businesses to operate within their municipality will be entitled to
place an additional tax on cannabis-related sales of up to 3% of sales, in
addition to the sales tax charged on ordinary goods. It is estimated that in our area this sales
tax revenue could be as much as half a million dollars per year per cannabis business.
The Downers Grove Village
Council recently began and abruptly ended consideration of opting in or out of
permitting cannabis businesses within the village. Downers Grove would have
been allowed to issue permits to three cannabis businesses. Voting on a motion to ask the Downers Grove
Plan Commission to review and consider at a public hearing the zoning
regulations, potential revenue and costs for permitting cannabis businesses,
four of the seven members of the Downers Grove Village Council voted to halt
the process of gathering information, and then voted to direct staff to draft
an ordinance that would prohibit cannabis businesses within any zone in Downers
Grove. This came just one week after five
council members supported forwarding the issue to the Plan Commission.
During discussion, all
members, including the four who voted to stop the process and abruptly opt out,
acknowledged that they had received numerous contacts from the residents of Downers
Grove, and that at least 50% to 60% had
said they favored exploring the zoning of cannabis businesses in Downers Grove
in order to benefit from the sales tax revenue. Four members of the Downers
Grove Village Council decided not to allow a public hearing on the matter, decided
not to allow their Plan Commission to investigate the potential revenue
benefits and costs of having a cannabis business within Downers Grove, decided not
to listen to the majority of constituents who had contacted them, and instead
decided to impose their own will upon the taxpayers of Downer Grove. Not exactly democracy in action.
Commissioner Greg Hose,
Commissioner Leslie Sadowski-Fugitt, and Mayor Bob Barnett voted to ask the
Plan Commission of Downers Grove to hold a public hearing and to gather more
information. Although they were outvoted, we can appreciate their willingness
to listen to the taxpayers and voters and to be open to receiving more
information regarding the issue.
The issue is not yet
decided. The Village Council will soon
consider a draft ordinance to prohibit cannabis-based businesses. Please e-mail or call the Village Council
and give them your opinion!
