Here we are yet again, having our voices and choices shut down. The Watertown City Council has voted to invoke the opt out clause of dispensaries being allowed to operate in Watertown City limits, even though New York State legalized the adult use of marijuana.  They said that upwards of $30,000 dollars in tax revenue is not worth it but they have no problem pushing for $3 for local residents to use a pool the residents already pay for with taxes.  It's sad, they rather keep adding to the financial burden of taxpayers than to create new sources of income and reduce the burden on the Watertown taxpayers.

The short sightedness of the Watertown City Council needs to be corrected, as well as, their outdated, unproven and false negative opinions.  I ask that the Watertown residents sign this petition so we can get a local vote to overturn the Watertown City Council decision to ban dispensaries , businesses and adult use cannabis sales in Watertown.  

The number one reason to sign this petition is our basic human right of freedom of choice, our right to choose.  With this freedom we create a voice to be heard. New Yorker's have spoken, our tri-county area has spoken.  Numerous polls have shown this, whether it's our local areas or the state as a whole.  So why do they fight the choice and voice of the people.  So now we have to voice our choice again, because the Watertown City Council feels they know better and have taken away our freedom of choice.

The City Council balks at sales tax generated for the area and spews scare tactics on the dangers of marijuana.  What they fail to mention are the new opportunities for entrepreneurship and employment for the people who live in the area.  God forbid we create a new industry, especially an industry that is being setup specifically for social and economic equity, to encourage small businesses and communities disproportionally harmed by disparate drug enforcement, to participate in the new industry.  To counter City Council comments saying crime will increase, well it's definitely not going to go down when you take away jobs and ownership opportunities. Opportunities to an area that has lost and continues to lose jobs/businesses continuously for 30 years plus, let alone  new entrepreneurship opportunities for locals. City council says a potential $30,000 is nothing really.  They fail to bring up the other revenues that would be generated like:  property / land / school taxes; Additional money/ business generated for other local shops, whether it be a supply store, local landscaper, electricians, carpenters, contractors, nursery/garden centers, the list goes on and on; They fail to mention all the additional sales tax generated from everyday normal shopping by newly employed people and the new business owners. That's just a few they purposely fail to recognize and if that's not the case then they are not fit to be in/on the City Council; They repeat these so called dangers but never discuss the real danger created by taking away opportunities to make something of ourselves, something to feel good about, proud about, be happy with our work.  Idle hands are the devil's playground not cannabis.  City council enforcing the demonization of cannabis and anyone associated with it just adds to the real dangers they speak of like crime, we the people know cannabis is not dangerous, City Council continues to try and criminalize us and disparage us by wrongful  persecution just because of their unproven false beliefs of marijuana.  

Ultimately, it's our choice to make, if our area wants to opt out of adult use cannabis sales and businesses to operate in the Watertown area, not City Councils.  In order for us to have a vote on this, we need to get a petition handed in to City Council. I urge you to please sign this and let our voices be heard again.  Thank you very much for your time and response!