If passed, Ballot Issue 2D would amend the city charter to ban retail marijuana businesses within Colorado Springs city limits. While recreational marijuana sales are currently not permitted in the city, the charter amendment would trump any city ordinance.
Two years ago, voters turned down a question to legalize recreational marijuana sales with 57% voting against it.
Here’s the language you’ll see on your ballot:
Shall the Charter of the City of Colorado Springs be amended to add a new Section 130 of Article XV, prohibiting retail marijuana establishments within the City of Colorado Springs?
How would it work?
The main difference between a charter amendment and a city ordinance is that a charter amendment is a change to the city’s governing document, while an ordinance is a law enacted by a local government.
Currently, recreational marijuana sales are not permitted in the city via the city council. (That can be changed by the council.)
If passed, Ballot Issue 2D would place a marijuana ban into the city’s charter, making it incredibly difficult for voters (or council) to reconsider their stance on legalizing recreational marijuana sales in the future.
Who’s for it?
Colorado Springs City Council put forward Ballot Issue 2D after hearing extensive public testimony on letting voters decide how to regulate marijuana within the city.
Councilmembers cited that the amendment would keep marijuana out of the hands of underage users and maintain Colorado Springs’ relationship with the five military bases surrounding the city. Marijuana is still illegal federally and active-duty service members can be arrested or dishonorably discharged for possessing marijuana.
The city council voted 8-1 to send the question to the ballot. Only Councilwoman Yolanda Avila opposed it.
Who’s against it?
According to a resident and dispensary-backed group, Citizens for Responsible Marijuana Regulation, Ballot Measure 2D is in direct competition to Ballot Question 300 — a ballot measure that the group put forward that would legalize retail marijuana in the city.
Meghan Graf, a spokesperson for the group, told CPR News they support “responsible regulation of recreational marijuana” as opposed to an outright ban — which is what city council’s Ballot Issue 2D measure proposes to do.
“We view the measure as a forever ban,” Graf said. “It’s really just as simple as that.”
Additionally, Councilwoman Nancy Henjum, who initially voted in favor of putting question 2D on the ballot, told CPR News on the second reading of the ballot measure, she has changed her stance.
“I initially voted in favor of it only because I was trying to be consistent with a position around giving the voters the option to decide on this issue, which I fundamentally still believe,” she said. “(But) I don't believe it's something that we should change in the city charter. I think once you make a change in the city charter, it makes it so much more difficult should in the future, the voters decide that they want to have recreational marijuana sales in Colorado Springs.”
