Four types of licenses will be available withing the municipality if the ordinance is approved. A Class 1 License is for Cannabis Cultivation; Class 2, Cannabis Manufacturing, Class 3, Cannabis Wholesale; and Class 4, Cannabis Distribution. A separate license covers medical dispensaries.
LoParo pointed out that the ordinance excludes the retail sale of recreational marijuana even though 57 percent of the municipality’s voters were in favor of the legalization of adult recreational cannabis use.
“I don’t think that’s right,” said LoParo. “I think we should include it because our voters said yes. We’re doing our people a disservice by not giving them what they voted for…We’re also giving up two percent of the recreational income, which could wind up to be hundreds of thousands of dollars in our tax account.”
LoParo pressed for feedback from the two other members of the township committee. Deputy Mayor Ken Baulderstone said he first wanted to see how the medical dispensary “worked out” before considering recreational retail sales.