It’s been about a month since the Petersburg Borough assembly has met and the agenda for Monday’s meeting is five pages long. The assembly will meet at noon to consider several marijuana proposals and a resolution that favors a state income tax over a sales tax.
The borough assembly has been working for over a year on creating local regulations for marijuana after voters statewide legalized marijuana in 2014.
The assembly will take a final look at an ordinance that would add marijuana regulations to the municipal code alongside existing alcohol laws. The ordinance would prohibit marijuana use at any future businesses selling marijuana.
Another ordinance would add fines to the municipal code for marijuana violations. It would fine people $500 for selling marijuana without a license. It would be a $50 fine for smoking in prohibited areas. It would fine people $500 dollars for retaliating against someone who is trying to report illegal smoking behavior. And the ordinance adds a $500 fine for owners or operators of a facility who don’t ensure compliance of smoking laws.
All of these marijuana rules and regulations could be mute if a new vote changes the local status of legalized marijuana.
A recent citizens initiative seeking to get another vote on marijuana will be presented to the assembly. The petition had enough valid signatures to hold a vote on the issue. The question would ask voters if all local marijuana sales, cultivation, testing and products should be illegal. Local voters already approved legal sales in a statewide vote a few years ago but this would be a local opt out vote.
The initiative will be presented to the assembly which can decided whether the issue will be put on the regular election ballot or in a special election. Special elections cost between $6,000 and $10,000.
KFSK will be broadcasting the meeting live starting at noon.
