Ballot Issue

1. Ballot Issue Referred Measures 2A/2B (Medical marijuana in palisade)

2. Referred Measure 2A Official Wording Shall the Town of Palisade’s taxes be increased by $80,000.00 annually (first full fiscal year increase) and by whatever amounts are raised annually thereafter through the levy of an occupation tax in the amount of $5.00 for each sales transaction by any medical marijuana center, also known as a medical marijuana dispensary, any medical marijuana optional premises cultivation operation, and any medical marijuana-infused products manufacturer within the Town of Palisade, effective January 1, 2012; and shall all revenues derived from such occupation tax be collected and spent, as a voter approved revenue change, notwithstanding any revenue or expenditure limitations contained in Article X, Section 20, of the Colorado constitution, Article 1 of Title 29, Colorado Revised Statutes or any other law?

3. What It Means Should the Town of Palisade increase its sales tax on sales from medical marijuana businesses by $5.00? If passed, all sales made by a medical marijuana dispensary would have an extra $5.00 added in tax to go to the Town of Palisade.

4. Referred Measure 2B Official Wording Shall Ordinance Number 2011-08, an ordinance amending Chapter 10 of the Town of Palisade Municipal Code by the addition of a new Article XIII, prohibiting certain uses relating to medical marijuana be adopted, which will make it unlawful for any person, including persons presently operating a medical marijuana business, to operate a medical marijuana center, an optional premises cultivation operation, or a medical marijuana-infused products manufacturing facility within the Town of Palisade, Colorado?

5. What It Means Shall businesses that sell medical marijuana, marijuana products or grow medical marijuana be banned from operating in Palisade? If passed, the one medical marijuana dispensary in Palisade will be closed, and no others will be allowed to open. Growing of marijuana for medical marijuana dispensaries in other locations would also be prohibited in Palisade.

7. Issue as it Stands Now • Amendment 20 - passed in 2000 • Amended the Colorado Constitution to make medical marijuana dispensaries legal to operate • House Bill 1284 and Senate Bill 109 • Provides local authority for regulation of dispensaries • 1284 allows local communities to ban or place controls on the operation, location, and ownership of these establishments • 109 helps prevent fraud and abuse • Referred Measure 1A - passed in 2010 • Bans operation of medical marijuana dispensaries in unincorporated Mesa County (areas outside city limits)

8. Issue As It Stands Now (Cont.) • Illegal to sell to minors without parental consent • To purchase marijuana one must possess a legal buyer card provided by a medical professional • Palisade has one dispensary • Regulated by Colorado Department of Health • Medical marijuana is subject to the same taxes as other retail products

9. Those in favor of 2A say… • Discourages the use of marijuana • Stop potential addictions • Raise more money for City of Palisade • Estimated $80,000 dollars annually • Money would go into general fund which supports police, fire, and parks and recreation. • Palisade Town Board came out in favor of the tax

10. Those opposed to 2A say… • This is essentially a tax on sick people who use marijuana medicinally already • The higher cost may force people to turn to unsafe means of obtainment • “It gets rid of patients’ access to regulated, taxed, tested products” • –Jesse Loughman, co-owner of Colorado Alternative Health Care, Palisade’s and Mesa County’s only medical marijuana dispensary

11. Those in favor of 2B say… • Medicinal marijuana dispensaries are pointless because marijuana is available as Marinol • This over-the-counter drug is less likely to become addictive • Medical marijuana can be dispensed through pharmacies • National Academy of Science Institute of Medicine does not recommend marijuana as a sole treatment for any disease • Decreases the resale of marijuana from medical users to nonmedical users

12. Those opposed to 2B say… • People in the community have testified that medical marijuana from these dispensaries helps their illnesses • Lose access to relief for illnesses • The Colorado Constitution gives Coloradans the right to access medical marijuana • No law should be able to infringe upon our rights • The licensing fees and tax revenue generated from the facilities will be lost

13. BE INFORMED, VOTE INFORMED Research Done By: Austin Dougless David Hatch Joshua Ellsworth