L.A. aims to help disadvantaged communities cash in on marijuana legalizatio (Los Angeles: low income)

[jm1982]

A good example of how the city thanks criminals .
Wow .

So if you were a dope dealer now you'll get preferential treatment and special assistance by the city to open your own marijuana shop .

How do we know these people aren't still committing crimes ? Usually when people are caught for marijuana that's not the only crime they did.

I know this might sound great to SJWs... but I think it's an awful idea .

Also if they are "poor" how good a legal weed dealer are they going to be ?

City is offering startup loans too !

So if you are a Excon you get a startup loan.. nice .. what about for the poor person that decided to follow the law ? Can they get a loan from the city to open a non marijuana business ?

---
The war on drugs has taken a disproportionate toll on people who are poor, black or Latino, community activists have long lamented.

Now that marijuana is on the brink of legalization in California, Los Angeles leaders want to make sure that disadvantaged people can cash in.

For so long, people that were black, people that were Latino, we have paid the price for this business,” City Council President Herb Wesson, who is African American, said at a recent community forum in Watts. “And as we move this into the legal realm, it is important to us that we have a piece of the action.

Local governments cannot give preferential treatment based on race or ethnicity under California law, a fact that Wesson quickly acknowledged at the Watts forum.

Instead, the L.A. program would benefit poor people who have been convicted of a marijuana crime in California, poor people whose immediate family members have been convicted, people with low incomes who live or have lived in neighborhoods that were heavily affected by marijuana arrests, and companies that agree to help disadvantaged applicants.

“This is not about race,” said Donnie Anderson, cofounder of the California Minority Alliance, which advocates for the inclusion of people of color in the marijuana industry. “This is about communities that were hurt by the failed war on drugs.”

Without such a program, “you’d just have corporate people getting into the industry,” Anderson said. “Where’s the justice in that?”

L.A. aims to help disadvantaged communities cash in on marijuana legalization - LA Times

[LuvSouthOC]

Originally Posted by jm1982

A good example of how the city thanks criminals .
Wow .

So if you were a dope dealer now you'll get preferential treatment and special assistance by the city to open your own marijuana shop .

How do we know these people aren't still committing crimes ? Usually when people are caught for marijuana that's not the only crime they did.

I know this might sound great to SJWs... but I think it's an awful idea .

Also if they are "poor" how good a legal weed dealer are they going to be ?

City is offering startup loans too !

So if you are a Excon you get a startup loan.. nice .. what about for the poor person that decided to follow the law ? Can they get a loan from the city to open a non marijuana business ?

---
The war on drugs has taken a disproportionate toll on people who are poor, black or Latino, community activists have long lamented.

Now that marijuana is on the brink of legalization in California, Los Angeles leaders want to make sure that disadvantaged people can cash in.

For so long, people that were black, people that were Latino, we have paid the price for this business,” City Council President Herb Wesson, who is African American, said at a recent community forum in Watts. “And as we move this into the legal realm, it is important to us that we have a piece of the action.

Local governments cannot give preferential treatment based on race or ethnicity under California law, a fact that Wesson quickly acknowledged at the Watts forum.

Instead, the L.A. program would benefit poor people who have been convicted of a marijuana crime in California, poor people whose immediate family members have been convicted, people with low incomes who live or have lived in neighborhoods that were heavily affected by marijuana arrests, and companies that agree to help disadvantaged applicants.

“This is not about race,” said Donnie Anderson, cofounder of the California Minority Alliance, which advocates for the inclusion of people of color in the marijuana industry. “This is about communities that were hurt by the failed war on drugs.”

Without such a program, “you’d just have corporate people getting into the industry,” Anderson said. “Where’s the justice in that?”

L.A. aims to help disadvantaged communities cash in on marijuana legalization - LA Times

If "POC" want to get in on the legalized businesses, they need to do so like anyone else. No one is stopping anyone from getting into businesses.

[jm1982]

Originally Posted by LuvSouthOC

If "POC" want to get in on the legalized businesses, they need to do so like anyone else. No one is stopping anyone from getting into businesses.

It seems they want some kind of reparations. They say poor communities were harmed by the war on drugs...but who was forcing people to become drug dealers?

[majoun]

Wesson is a race hustler, always has been - in fact he's just as much of a race hustler as his pal and fellow Midwestern transplant Maxine Waters, the main difference is that he isn't mentally ill.

[ryanms3030]

Who is providing loans, the city? No bank will provide loans for any marijuana businesses since it's still illegal on federal level

[jm1982]

Originally Posted by ryanms3030

Who is providing loans, the city? No bank will provide loans for any marijuana businesses since it's still illegal on federal level

Yeah sounds like the city . Didn't realize we had so much money .
Oh get this . They are also going to let them rent city property ... for free or reduced rates ..
Why should they get free rent if it's a business especially a business that is likely to be very profitable?

From the article :

"People in the program could get help applying for city licenses, training employees and finding vacant city properties — those that are not suitable for affordable housing — to rent at free or reduced rates. The city would also help people expunge old convictions for marijuana crimes. And L.A. would also waive or defer fees and provide startup loans at low rates.

In addition, cannabis businesses run by wealthier applicants could get tax rebates if they help disadvantaged entrepreneurs by providing them floor space, mentoring or other assistance."

[LuvSouthOC]

Originally Posted by majoun

Wesson is a race hustler, always has been - in fact he's just as much of a race hustler as his pal and fellow Midwestern transplant Maxine Waters, the main difference is that he isn't mentally ill.

But we are tired of race hustlers now, hence Trump, and many will call them out. The era of white guilt and silence in the face of race peddling is coming to a close.

All human beings are equal under the law.

[Rlnoir2]

Went through south central last night. Its pretty interesting how most of the businesses are boarded up or closed down after 10pm. However one theme really stuck out, every few blocks youd see a neon green cross along with an open sign.

[jm1982]

Originally Posted by Rlnoir2

Went through south central last night. Its pretty interesting how most of the businesses are boarded up or closed down after 10pm. However one theme really stuck out, every few blocks youd see a neon green cross along with an open sign.

Yeah interesting the city doesn't care about getting poor minorities to get those businesses opened.

That's the thing with these politicians. It's all symbolism and identity politics .

Shouldn't they be encourage business growth across the board .. not just for poor excons to open pot shops?

Also im betting that the shops in South LA are probably owned by people that don't live in South L.A