[Payaso]

Local reporter Tiffany Revelle attended the recent forum in Ukiah on "Life After Legalization." This is a gripping concern for the locals here in Northern California as you can well imagine.

From an economy driven by the lumber trade to an economy based on local production of cannabis in just about 30 years, it's an amazing story.

How much of Mendocino County's economy marijuana represents was one of the biggest questions at a Saturday forum on "Life After Legalization" at the Saturday Afternoon Club in Ukiah - and no one has any real answers.

The forum, brought south by Humboldt County's KMUD radio host Anna Hamilton from where it started last month, aimed to answer the myriad questions about what should happen if the voters pass the Tax Cannabis 2010 California ballot initiative.

About 200 people from all angles of the question filled the room to its capacity: growers, workers, property owners, patients, business people, government representatives, media and people who were "just curious."

There were differing views about what legalization would do to the price of marijuana, with some believing it would drive down the price and displace trimmers currently paid between $20 and $40 per hour, and others believing legalization would increase demand.

Either way, it was obvious that the people in the room weren't satisfied with the answers Ukiah Chamber of Commerce CEO Burt Mosier offered about how the initiative, if it passes, will affect the area's economy. He said he has no hard, cold numbers showing where growers shop, and how much local businesses depend on them.

"All the time, I keep hearing from my members that ... the influx of money makes a difference in their survival; I know that," Mosier said. "I have members who tell me it's the only way they can survive. I have members who tell me they're absolutely against it. I have members who don't know what to do."

Asked how many medical marijuana industry representatives were chamber members, Mosier said he doesn't discuss members' information.

Pressed further by another audience member, Mosier said some of his members depend on growers' patronage and others don't believe any cannabis dollars come through their doors.

"I don't know if that's real or not," he said.

Les Tar, a KMFB radio host, said he wouldn't be snowballed, and that "The whole county is lubricated, baby, with marijuana dollars!"

Mosier asked Tarr if he had the numbers to back up his claim, and reiterated that he was only reporting what chamber members had told him.

Another man asked him if chamber members saw tourism from patients coming into Mendocino County to sample its marijuana.

"In economic development in Mendocino County, it is very hard to put your finger on numbers that you can prove," Mosier said. "I know numbers, I can't prove them, I can't disprove them."

He continued, "Until we start having the conversations out in the public, out in the open, and people are willing to share, there's no way that I can say to you that I have numbers that I can present to you and I can verify them."

Another man asked if Mosier knew where local growers spend their money, if not in Mendocino County.

"No, I don't, because you won't tell me," Mosier said.

Read the entire story here.

very interesting, thank you for the post. I am very interested in the fine print of the bill. Any links?, ill do a search!

[Rednick]

Same problem in Colorado.
They know it is there, they just don't know how to get the money in THEIR pockets...

Fuck, that is why we don't tell you where we spend it, b/c then you will tax those businesses extra also!

[♥Mo♥]

This should separate the men from the boys. Maybe now when you plop down 2-4k for a pound it might be worth it. As long as you can provide high quality herb people will pay the price. The ones that are worried about cannabis becoming legal obviously need to step up their game or step aside.

[Toyot4]

Originally Posted by ♥Mo♥

This should separate the men from the boys. Maybe now when you plop down 2-4k for a pound it might be worth it. As long as you can provide high quality herb people will pay the price. The ones that are worried about cannabis becoming legal obviously need to step up their game or step aside.

Competition is a great thing and i agree that anyone that is growing high quality herb should not be concerned with making money.

I have a concern for the local entrepreneurs that have made a living off the excess black market money that circulates.

[vaped]

I dont think making lots of money off cannabis is bad at all. I never forced anyone to buy my weed. You really dont see to many kids not eating because of their parents weed habits either. I look at it like a buisness. I buy the lights, fans, air conditioners, dehumidifiers, cloners. All of which have upkeep work and costs. I pay monthly for the grow location, nutes, and power. I put two hours a day in 7 days a week 365 days a year. On top of that when harvest time comes aprox. every 2.5 months its atleast a week of long days. If I cant get 300 to 500 dollars an 0.z. its time to hang it up. I see weed in the local collectives going for 20 dollars a gram that cant touch my stuff.

[Hammerhead]

^^^ Are you in a med state. We dont have prices like that in Cali anymore. The most expensive meds are 200$ an oz or less.

[GrnMtnGrwr]

Originally Posted by Hammerhead

^^^ Are you in a med state. We dont have prices like that in Cali anymore. The most expensive meds are 200$ an oz or less.

I find that extremely hard to believe.

[Hammerhead]

????? I dont charge anyone more then 200 an oz and thats my top shelf. I do have some strains that go for 50 an oz. why is that hard to believe????

[GrnMtnGrwr]

You didn't say that was the most you charged. You said that was the most expensive in CA... which is what I find extremely hard to believe.