BALLOT ISSUES 300/301: Colorado Springs voters say no to recreational marijuana sales

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) -

UPDATE (11/9): Colorado Springs has voted no on allowing recreational pot sales within city limits -- but said yes to taxing such sales.

With nearly 60 percent of voters against, ballot issue 300 flopped on election night, but in a twist, the same voters passed ballot issue 301, which would have put a 5 percent tax on recreational marijuana, with the money intended for public safety programs, mental health services, and PTSD programs for veterans.

But without 300 passing, 301 has been nullified.

All election results can be found here.

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PREVIOUS (10/24): Colorado Springs voters will decide on recreational marijuana sales with ballot issues 300/301.

11 News spoke with both sides of the measures. Ballot issue 300 would legalize recreational marijuana sales, while ballot issue 301 would put a 5% tax on it. According to El Paso County voting information, city taxes would be increased $5,600,000 annually beginning Jan. 1, 2023, for the purpose of funding public safety programs, mental health services and PTSD treatment programs for veterans.

“Your Choice Colorado Springs” is the campaign advocating for the ballot measures.

“Right now, it’s 100% legal to possess and consume recreational cannabis in Colorado Springs, but what’s been banned is the sales of it. What that means is every single day, folks go to Manitou Springs, Pueblo, Denver, to purchase their cannabis, just to bring it right back to Colorado Springs. ... Our city gets none of the sales tax dollars that comes with it,” said Anthony Carlson of Your Choice Colorado Springs.

According to El Paso County voting information, arguments for 300/301 include “Colorado Springs willingly forfeits up to $15 million in tax revenues every year to neighboring cities that should be helping solve the challenges in our city.”

Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers has long been opposed to recreational marijuana.

“If we embraced recreational marijuana, it will have a negative impact on the quality of life in our community,” said Suthers. “I talk to a lot of mayors. A lot of them don’t talk about it publicly, but most admit that having widespread marijuana dispensaries in their city is an attraction to homelessness. It causes certain areas of the city to be plagued with the stench of marijuana, where people don’t want to walk down the street.”

According to El Paso County voting information, arguments against 300/301 include, “Tax revenue from marijuana never goes where proponents say it will go. The state promised marijuana revenues would fund education, but have schools seen that money? Of course not.”

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 8.

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