Supervisor Jeff Sheehy, who Mayor Ed Lee appointed to the District 8 post in January, introduced legislation last week that would create a seven-member Cannabis Commission and Cannabis Department with a director and staff in San Francisco. The commission will decide whether to grant or deny permits related to commercial cannabis businesses as well as decide whether to suspend such permits based on yet-to-be-developed guidelines. San Francisco is currently working on regulations for the recreational cannabis industry after California voters legalized the substance by passing Proposition 64 back in November.
The state is expected to begin issuing licenses for recreational cannabis as early as January 2018, but operations must comply with local laws. Sheehy’s bill gives the mayor the power to appoint a director of the Cannabis Department and grants the mayor the power to appoint all seven commissioners. Bill Barnes, Sheehy’s legislative aide, said that under the city charter a commission created by an ordinance must have all appointments made by the mayor. Splitting them up between the mayor and the Board of Supervisors would require approval from voters.
He likened the Cannabis Commission to the Entertainment Commission, which was first created through an ordinance in 2002 by then-Supervisor Mark Leno. The commission appointments to the Entertainment Commission were initially made by the mayor under the ordinance, but subsequently divided between the board and mayor by voter approval of Proposition F, also in 2002. Barnes pointed out that the mayoral Cannabis Commission appointees would require approval by the board. It is a high threshold, however. To reject mayoral appointees would take a two-thirds board vote. Supervisor Hillary Ronen said she supports the creation of the department, but had yet to review the proposal. She said she “absolutely” preferred split appointments on the commission. The first opportunity to ask voters to split up appointment power on a cannabis commission would be at the next scheduled election in June 2018.
Some of the most significant city commissions have appointments split between the mayor and the Board of Supervisors, such as the Planning Commission and Police Commission. Supporters of split appointments argue it creates a better balance of power between the two branches of government and better representation of neighborhood concerns. As The City faces budget cuts and other financial uncertainty from possible federal cuts under President Donald Trump, costs of creating the department would likely be a concern. Barnes, however, said that Sheehy doesn’t want any general fund dollars funding the department. Barnes stated, “It will be a fee-based department.” That means the marijuana industry will fund the department’s staffing costs through permit and license fees, rather than the regular taxpayer.
MAPH Enterprises, LLC | (305) 414-0128 | 1501 Venera Ave, Coral Gables, FL 33146 | new@marijuanastocks.com
