Pubdate: Wed, 04 Aug 2010 Source: Delta County Independent (CO) Copyright: 2010 Delta County Independent Contact: http://mapinc.org/url/5y9TXXEE Website: http://www.deltacountyindependent.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/5139 Author: Kathy Browning PAONIA VOTERS WILL DETERMINE FATE OF MARIJUANA CENTERS The Paonia Town Council has approved the ballot questions for the Nov. 2 election. There will be three questions related to commercial medical marijuana businesses. Voters will select either yes or no for each of the three questions. The first question will be: "Shall the Town of Paonia allow regulated commercial medical marijuana centers within the town limits?" The second question will be: "Shall the Town of Paonia allow regulated commercial medical marijuana infused product manufacturing and regulated commercial medical marijuana optional premises cultivation operations in the town limits?" The third question will be: "If medical marijuana centers are allowed, should the Town of Paonia impose an additional two percent retail medical marijuana and paraphernalia tax with such revenue derived from such medical marijuana tax be collected and spent as a voter approved revenue change, nonwithstanding any revenue or expenditure limitation contained in Article X, Section 20 of the Colorado Constitution?" Voting yes or no on the questions will not take away the constitutional right of an individual who has a medical marijuana card from the State of Colorado. An individual will still be able to grow up to six marijuana plants for their own use. State-approved caregivers will continue to be able to have five patients and grow six plants for each patient. The ballot will only apply to commercial operations involving retail sales, manufacturing or cultivation. The town council is also working on the provisions of an ordinance which would be enacted after the Nov. 2 election. Depending on the outcome of the election, regulations for each of the three types of medical marijuana businesses will be retained or removed from the ordinance. By having the ordinance prepared in advance of the election, voters will know what becomes law by voting yes. For example, the current ordinance draft says a maximum of two licensed medical marijuana centers will be allowed within town limits, and that a center cannot be within 250 feet of any other medical marijuana center. If voters approve the centers, then those regulations would be enacted. If voters disapprove of the licensed centers, the regulation permitting the two centers would be removed from the ordinance. - --- MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart