Colorado Springs Group Launches Bid to Legalize Recreational Pot Sales |

A group of business and community leaders in Colorado Springs, Colorado, has launched a bid to legalize the sale of recreational cannabis in the city, arguing that tax revenue generated by residents’ purchases of legal cannabis stays in the community should.

Colorado voters legalized the sale of recreational cannabis with the passage of Amendment 64 in 2012, and regulated sales began in the state two years later. But Colorado Springs banned the sale of recreational cannabis in 2013, even though the city is home to more than 100 medical cannabis dispensaries.

Colorado Springs voting action filed

On Monday, the group Your Choice Colorado Springs submitted a ballot on a proposed ballot initiative that would allow the city’s existing medical marijuana dispensaries to apply for licenses to sell adult-use cannabis. In a statement from the group, the coalition of community and business leaders said Colorado Springs residents are being forced to travel to nearby towns that facilitate recreational sales. As a result, the city is leaving millions of dollars in potential sales tax revenue on the table, according to Your Choice Colorado Springs.

“It’s unbelievable how much tax revenue politicians have stolen from our city in the last decade,” said Cliff Black, an attorney and the leading voter who petitioned the city to sell adult-use cannabis. “Recreational marijuana is 100 percent legal for every single adult living in the city. However, the city does not benefit from this. Instead, residents drive and spend their hard-earned cash in Manitou, Pueblo, and even Denver, and then bring their marijuana straight home to Colorado Springs. With this initiative, we are asking voters if they want to keep their tax money locally.”

The group noted that Manitou Springs is the only city in El Paso County that allows the sale of recreational cannabis. Limited competition and high local demand mean that the two Manitou Springs pharmacies are among the most profitable in the state.

According to Westword, Colorado Springs voters passed Amendment 64 by a majority of about 3,000 votes. Activists have previously made bids to legalize the sale of recreational cannabis, but failed to gain the support of a majority of the city council. Additionally, Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers, who once served as Attorney General, has been a vocal opponent of recreational marijuana sales since taking office in 2015.

“When Colorado began selling adult-use cannabis in 2014, we assumed our local officials would respect the will of voters and create a regulatory structure that would allow for recreational sales,” said Karlie Van Arnam, mother, small business owner and former city council candidate. “But instead, year after year, politicians have refused to provide a regulatory structure to collect valuable tax revenue for our city. Today, Colorado Springs residents are taking that decision back into their own hands to finally give us the choice to vote on allowing recreational sales in our community.”

The organizers hope to vote in November 2022

If the proposed election language submitted by Your Choice Colorado Springs this week is approved by the City Initiative Review Committee, the group will have 90 days to collect the approximately 33,000 signatures needed to put the initiative on the ballot for the to set general elections in November 2022.

To comply with the city’s retail cap, the voting measure would only allow existing medical marijuana dispensaries to sell recreational cannabis with state approval. The proposal would not allow new cannabis dispensaries to open in Colorado Springs.

Sales tax revenue generated from the sale of recreational cannabis in Colorado Springs would help fund public safety improvements, an expansion of mental health services and support for military veterans, according to the Your Choice Colorado Springs website. Recreational cannabis earnings are subject to an annual review by a citizens’ committee “to ensure the money is being spent where voters have approved,” the group said.

“It’s time Colorado Springs moved with the times and made sure we keep the tax revenue that rightfully belongs to the people of Colorado Springs,” Jimmy Garrison, a veteran and founder of a PTSD retreat and camp for veterans Lost Creek Ranch said in a statement for Your Choice Colorado Springs. “As a veteran, I am thrilled to see that a portion of this tax revenue will support our American heroes and my fellow veterans who have paid a price for their service and are now struggling with PTSD.”

An informal poll conducted by a local television news station last year found that a majority of respondents supported legalizing the sale of recreational marijuana in Colorado Springs. And Black said the organizers of the ballot initiative also collected data showing support for the issue.

“We conducted the poll and believe voters are in favor of allowing recreational sales in Colorado Springs,” he said.

Post a comment:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *