Chicago passed city zoning regulations for Illinois new recreational marijuana law, but some of the citys Black leaders are concerned about the lack of minority-owned business participation.
City Council approved, on a vote of 40 to 10, Mayor Lori Lightfoots proposed zoning rules Wednesday for where marijuana dispensaries can operate. The councils Black Caucus previously tried to hold up the vote over concerns that Black residents arent represented among the owners of nearly a dozen existing medical marijuana dispensaries who would get a head start in the city when recreational sales begin Jan. 1.
Eleven existing businesses will be allowed to use their current location to sell recreational marijuana in the first year of legalization, according to a plan by the Chicago Department of Planning and Development. These same businesses will also be allowed to exclusively open a second recreational site until late spring of 2020, when other new businesses get a chance to bid. All of the selected business owners are white, according to Alderman Jason Ervin, chairman of the 20-member Chicago Aldermanic Black Caucus.
Of these 11 businesses there is zero Black ownership. Let me repeat this: zero Black ownership of the existing lottery, Ervin said at a news conference before the council meeting , criticizing the current plan. Social equity means ownership. People who look like the folks standing up here having an opportunity for ownership. Not participating as workers.
Ervin introduced an ordinance Wednesday that would delay the start of recreational sales in Chicago to July 1 so that the council can find more equitable options that boost minority ownership. That proposal was referred to committee.
Alderman Anthony Beale, a Black Caucus member who has been a vocal critic of Lightfoot, said Wednesday he would vote against the mayors zoning rules to influence city officials to correct mistakes in the state law.
When we look at the fact that the Black and brown community has been adversely affected by the cannabis industry jails have been filled up, people have been locked up and now we are being locked out of benefiting from this particular ordinance, Beale said.
How do we start a game already down 22-0? That is a travesty, he added. We have an opportunity to make sure our community can get a piece of the pie. I guarantee you when these licenses are rolled out, and the first 22 are people not of color, theyre going to have a 12-month head start before we even start trying to level the playing field. How do we do that?
Alderman David Moore, also a member of the Black Caucus, agreed with Beale, saying that zoning regulation is our only leverage.
This thing only comes once in a lifetime where we can gain some ground finally, Moore said, recalling memories of friends getting arrested for small amounts of marijuana while growing up.
Theres so much to look at when you look at the lottery piece. They say thats equal, but its not equitable. You put 44 white balls in and one black ball and whats the probability that a black ball will get chosen? he continued. There is no equity. The zoning is right, but there is no equity.
Ervin still supported voting in favor of the zoning regulations Wednesday, urging his fellow members of the Black Caucus to prioritize zoning and focus on the issue of equity at a later date.
I agree with you that there are issues of equity in this conversation, there is no question, there is no doubt I stand 100% on it, Ervin said. But what I do not want to see is these places opening at portions of our community or anywhere in the city that the local community, the aldermen and the city of Chicago do not want them to be. We will deal with the issue of equity.
Beale and Moore continued to be two of the 10 council members who voted no on the ordinance.
A spokesperson for the Black Caucus did not immediately answer questions from HuffPost about voting in favor of the zoning regulations despite the lack of minority ownership, as well as what the caucus thinks is the likelihood that the measure introduced Wednesday will pass.
_(720p).jpg)
 OFFICIAL HD MUSIC VIDEO.jpg)
.jpg)
