More and more cash strapped cities in California are beginning to look to marijuana as a potential revenue resource. Many of these fine localities might say it is for other reasons (in Encinitas the purpose given is to "save local agriculture"), but if it wasn't for the tax potential of commercial ganja would they really be interested? I doubt it. It's always about the money.We'd caution both growers and revenue-hungry politicians that the projections based on current marijuana prices are likely to be wildly overstated, as commercial and home growers rapidly increase supply now that it's legal.
Former Sierra Madre Mayor Joe Mosca, who abruptly vacated a City Council seat halfway through his second term here a few years back, recently resumed his political career in the City of Encinitas. Now an appointed member of the City Council there, today he sits on a subcommittee tasked with bringing marijuana into their revenue mix. Faced with a massive $154 million in (euphemism alert) "unfunded market pension debt" (link), obviously no stone (or stoner) is being left unturned.
Tuesday, April 25, 2017
Is commercial marijuana production the answer to Encinitas' pension crisis?
Councilman Joe Mosca's old friend the Sierra Madre Tattler:
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I'm confused. What did Joe mean by "pubic comment?" Does it have something to do with shaving?
ReplyDeleteLet me guess - to the parents of young children, Mosca will focus on the drawbacks of the city supporting the marijuana business; to the farmers, he will focus on the benefits; to the libertarians, he will talk about victimless crimes and the better-than-alcohol approach; to the religious conservatives, he will talk about why he's always been opposed to any kinds of drugs, and so on, tailoring his remarks to whoever is in front of him.
ReplyDeleteHe's consistent in that.
He's consistent with those things indeed as well as having his anus and rectum pounded like abalone! Beware of the butt pirates!
DeleteKeep your nose out of your neighbors' business, and live your life.
ReplyDeleteKeep your nose out of your neighbor's butt and lead a good life.
ReplyDeleteOK, Rover.
DeleteVigilantly police your neighborhoods and beware of sado-masochist narcissist butt pirates.
DeleteOne wonders about the market saturation. Commercial growers in Oceanside want to grow pot by the acre. The projected return was stated at $4.2 million. What is left of the greenhouse operations in Encinitas would probably jump on that bandwagon. But how much pot can the market absorb before prices crash? Constrained growth may help control returns - this might be achieved by expensive licensing of commercial operations. But pension overruns will not be controlled by any increased sales taxes until reforms on the level of retirement compensation are implemented. No revenue stream will keep up with those mounting deficits.
ReplyDeleteHow about opium poppies? Or prostitution?
DeleteWhew, there's some realistic perspective.
DeleteMarijuana is a gateway drug, after all.
DeleteWater is a gateway drug. 100% of heroine addicts drank water at one time.
DeleteThe council will need to set up a new department to enforce the City and State laws. Will this new department's operating and pension cost eventually outweigh the tax revenue??
ReplyDeleteThat this old "friend" can not let go of whatever is pretty strange. Joe is on our council now. I would not have put him there (not here long enough to understand our town). But, he is there now, for another year and a half. Let's judge him on what he says/does now. We will get to vote him in or out next November.
ReplyDeleteSM Tattler is a sour-grapes, sore-loser, whiny little b1tch who needs to move on.
Deleteerrrr what.
DeleteJoe, be less obvious.
Enjoy your drug funded pension, you vampire.
Delete9:40's comments are somewhat more blunt than what I would say, but the gist is the same. Who gives a rat's rump what a losing candidate/axe grinder from pod city, USA thinks about Encinitas.
Delete-Dr. Miles Bennell
Everyone knows that 6 month Joe Mosca brought his sit on the council by giving money to Catherine, Tasha and Tony! In doing so, they pass over a 60 year, active resident of this City with exception qualifications - Tony Brandenberg. UNFORGIVABLE!
ReplyDeleteLast Place Tony?
DeleteBrandenburg seems confused. Maybe 20 years ago he was less confused.
DeleteHis rational of voting for Prop T and then campaigning against it makes no sense. I went to Planning Commission meetings and he did not speak out about it then when he had one of 5 votes.
Typo. Rationale.
DeleteWho cares. In the long term, these plants won't be grown in Encinitas, commercially, anymore than Poinsettias are. The industry and state regulation will correct itself so that only large ag sites work, inland or even over seas. Everything else will be absorbed. Land values are too high here in Encinitas. Ag land in Encinitas will be residential. Like it or not.
ReplyDeleteJust remember that Mosca says different things to different people, and good luck with that. Maybe he has miraculously become a person of integrity in Encinitas.
ReplyDeleteDon't all politicians?
DeleteDeal with Sierra Madre, why don't you?
ReplyDeleteMaybe you have some latent tendencies you are dealing with, and just can't let him go completely. Your jealous envy is showing.
Your community seems to have let him go with one exception. Try looking sometime in a mirror. It may not be a pretty sight. You have to know that pursuits like yours eventually show up and manifest themselves physically, aka, Dorian Gray.
Do you really want to become a mirror image of your hate? Do yourself a favor and us here at the same time. Butt out of Encinitas. We will be fine without you. Maybe direct your energies to Sierra Madre.
I don't agree with 3:45 or Joe. Thank you Sierra Madre!
DeleteWhy do so many posts defending Mosca include the word "latent"?
DeleteWC please take Thomas Roger Ogdens hate speech down again. Thanks for your attention.
ReplyDelete