NORTH SYRACUSE — Now that New York State has decriminalized the use of cannabis by adults 21 years of age or older, municipalities across the state must decide if they will allow establishments to sell cannabis products or permit on-site consumption.
Municipalities who wish to opt out of allowing the sale or consumption of cannabis must pass a local law subject to permissive referendum by Dec. 31, 2021. This means that any resident who is opposed to the resolution may start a petition within 30 days of the vote. If a certain percentage of the municipality’s registered voters — 20% for villages and 10% for towns — sign the petition, the municipality must hold a vote on the resolution.
According to a poll conducted on the village of North Syracuse’s website, North Syracuse residents are in favor of allowing stores within the village to sell cannabis. More than two-thirds of respondents — 136 votes, or 69% — answered “yes” to the poll question, “The village is looking into allowing stores to sell cannabis which would likely increase village revenue. Are you in favor of this?” Of the 196 respondents, 61 people (31%) voted no.
North Syracuse residents are more evenly split on the issue of allowing on-site consumption of cannabis, however. A second poll question — “Are you in favor of allowing designated spaces or businesses in the village where patrons can go to smoke cannabis?” — drew 105 yes votes to 91 no votes, a 54-46% split.
The NYS Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA) places a 9% state sales tax on recreational cannabis sales and a 7% tax on medicinal sales. Recreational retail transactions will also be subject to 4% local sales tax to be split between the county and the municipality.
The North Syracuse Village Board of Trustees discussed the poll results at its May 13 meeting. Mayor Gary Butterfield told the Star-Review that he was surprised at the results.
“More people wanted the sale and the use than did not want, which is interesting,” he said.
The village’s online polls are unofficial, and Butterfield surmised that older, more conservative residents might be less likely to participate in the website polls than younger residents who might be more accepting of cannabis use.
“A lot of the older folk are not on social media and a lot of the younger folk are,” Butterfield said.
Butterfield said North Syracuse Police Chief William Becker said the state has strict regulations for businesses looking for a permit to sell cannabis or hold on-site consumption. Under MRTA, these establishments must be at least 500 feet away from a school and 200 feet away from a house of worship.
With North Syracuse Junior High School and Karl W. Saile Bear Road Elementary School just outside the village limits and the North Syracuse Early Education Program (Main Street School) within the village, “it would be very difficult for anybody to have a place within the village limits,” Butterfield said.
While MRTA reaffirms that driving while impaired by cannabis is still a misdemeanor, law enforcement agencies are also concerned about how to measure impairment.
“There’s a lot of questions that need to be asked and answered. It’s so preliminary,” Butterfield said. “How do you determine that someone really should not be behind the wheel?”
According to MRTA, an academic institution will conduct research on technology to detect impairment by cannabis.
Also on the agenda
In addition to discussing cannabis, the village board also addressed the following issues at its May 13 meeting:
• Temporary storage containers: The board tabled the discussion of restricting the use of temporary storage “pods.” The village contacted the resident who has had such a pod outside her home for more than a year. The resident explained her circumstances and has promised to get rid of the container.
“She had spent money to renovate a store and when COVID hit and it was not an essential business, she couldn’t open the store but she was still on the hook for the lease,” Butterfield said.
If there are further complaints, the village board could revisit the issue.
• Charging station: The village is considering a usage fee for the electric vehicle charging station located outside the North Syracuse Department of Public Works.
“When we first put it in, we said, ‘We’ll just absorb any cost.’ Now it’s getting a little more expensive,” Butterfield said.
DPW Superintendent Ed Ware said the department’s electric bill “is more than double now than it was when we put it in.”
Trustee Fred Wilmer said installing a credit card reader at the station could make it easier to levy fees but would require a start-up fee. He also suggested installing solar panels at the highway garage.
• Business of the Month: The village featured Mickey’s Live Bait and Tackle Shop as its Business of the Month for May. Located at 715 South Bay Road, Mickey’s has sold a variety of fishing supplies, bait and fishing-related art for more than 60 years. Mickey’s is owned by Fran Daher and his brothers, co-managers Al and Jim.
“Where else can you go ‘smell the bait,’ hear the bubbling minnow tanks and listen to smelly old fishermen spit out tales of yesteryear?” asks Mickey’s website, fishingcny.com.
