The juxtaposition of the two lead articles on the front page of the Kent Reporter’s March 4 issue could not reflect the current inadequacies of the City Council more succinctly.
“City officials to reconsider Pine Tree Park sale” and “Medical marijuana shop ordered to close” actually are quite related.
The city attempts – possibly illegally – to sell a Forward Thrust grant park in order to raise badly needed funds. They are now backtracking like Donald Trump because of numerous alleged oversights and ethical improprieties.
The only medical marijuana provider within city limits is forced to close, and a source of badly needed tax revenue (think B&O and sales tax) is thwarted. In fact, the city moratorium on medical and recreational pot sales has likely cost Kent’s municipal coffers tens of thousands of dollars. What are we paying you people for, anyway?
Maybe deputy city attorney Pat Fitzpatrick’s energies would have been better spent properly vetting numerous reported park-sale violations, rather than forcing a single small business owner to shutter his doors.
The recent noisy nonsense leading to the ban of fireworks in Kent may serve as an interesting precedent.
The advisory vote was apparently heard loud and clear by the City Council, and they properly chose to abide by its results. This is true democracy in action.
Therefore, I challenge that the City Council now allow an advisory vote of its citizenry to gauge the interest in allowing legally-sanctioned, revenue-generating marijuana businesses in order to produce much needed city funds. It is absolutely irrational and ludicrous to continue to cry poverty while disallowing a legal potential revenue source ripe for the taking.
The City Council needs to remain responsive to the will of its citizens. You do not own this city, you work for us.
– Perry Sobolik
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