A 10-year moratorium on marijuana sales has been overturned by voters in Grand Junction.
On Tuesday voters handily approved ballot questions 2A, Taxation on Regulated Marijuana, and 2B, Lifting Moratorium on Marijuana Businesses, .
On the 2A question: 9,235 voters said “yes”; with 7,309 voters casting a “no” vote. On the 2B question: 9,755 voters approved, with 7,055 voters disapproving.
“We’re pretty excited by the results, we are trying to break it all down and see what we can learn from it,” said Aron Diaz, with Responsible Growth Grand Junction, a group that supported approval.
The 2A question will allow setting the marijuana sales tax at 8.25%, with possible bumps in the future but not to exceed 15%. Approval of the 2B question repealed a 2011 voter approved measure that had banned marijuana dispensaries.
Over the coming weeks and months, city staff will work with appointed and elected officials to develop next steps “regarding marijuana licensing and permitting of marijuana-related businesses,” the city said on its website.
Public hearings will be scheduled and held.
“No licenses or license applications have been made available to potential marijuana business owners by the passage of this legislation,” the city said. “Further action by City Council would be required to license marijuana businesses.”
Among the cities in Colorado that do not have marijuana sales are Greeley, Colorado Springs, Vail and Fort Morgan.
