Mj Factory Brings Jobs

[greenbuddha]

US CT: Pot Factory Brings Jobs, but Will Negativity Cloud City?

 

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URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v13/n359/a03.html

Newshawk: http://www.drugsense.org/donate.htm

Votes: 0

Pubdate: Thu, 25 Jul 2013

Source: New Haven Register (CT)

Copyright: 2013 New Haven Register

Contact: letters@nhregister.com

Website: http://www.nhregister.com

Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/292

Author: Susan Misur

 

POT FACTORY BRINGS JOBS, BUT WILL NEGATIVITY CLOUD CITY?

 

"The owners of the property have been good neighbors and pay their taxes, and the building's been empty for a very long time." - West Shore Fire Department Acting Deputy Chief Patrick Pickering

 

It will help the city by bringing jobs and tax dollars, is simply a medicinal factory and benefits people with illnesses.  Or, it's not the type of business West Haven needs and could paint the city in a negative light.

 

How the city may be impacted by a medical marijuana production business remains to be seen, but these are just a few of the opinions residents have on the issue.

 

Advanced Grow Labs LLC received approval from the Planning and Zoning Commission Tuesday night to open a grow facility at 400 Frontage Road as long as the state eventually gives the goahead.

 

David Lipton, managing partner of the company, said it could open in early 2014, possibly expand later, and only produce the plant, rather than sell directly to consumers.

 

Though that's months away and a favorable PZC vote is only one of many necessary steps, the proposal is still a hot topic in town.

 

City Council member Thomas McCarthy said he's glad it's creating jobs and is confident the facility will be "one of the safest in West Haven" because of the heavy regulations about to be imposed by the state.  He added it would have been difficult for the PZC to reject the application because the site plan complies with zoning regulations in an industrial zone.

 

"I'm thrilled that West Haven is a progressive enough city to be on the forefront of this.  I have great admiration for the Planning and Zoning Commission for taking on what could be a touchy subject and dealing with this in a professional way," McCarthy said.

 

"And I get that there are people with end-of-life illnesses where it's appropriate for them.  I think we misconstrue this to be people buying $5 bags down the street, and that's not what it's for."

 

The plan is also receiving a positive reaction from West Shore Fire Department Acting Deputy Chief Patrick Pickering, who's been meeting with building officials and Advanced Grow Labs since April, since Frontage Road is covered by that department.

 

In his research, he's found that grow facilities will see stricter regulations in Connecticut than Colorado, which is where one of Advanced Grow Labs' business partners currently is active in the medical marijuana industry.

 

"The owners of the property have been good neighbors and pay their taxes, and the building's been empty for a very long time," Pickering said.  "So not only is this project going to support the owner of the building and their continued effort to pay their taxes, but it's also going to increase the tax base through equipment and renovations."

 

Mayor John M.  Picard estimated that the business, which will install at least $ 500,000 of equipment, could bring in about $ 40,000 of new tax dollars.  West Shore would get a percentage of that worth several thousand dollars.

 

Pickering also noted it may fit in with the medical research occurring at Yale West and in the state's biomedical industry.

 

Resident Isabelle Sobala wrote in response to a Facebook question on the issue that she doesn't mind a grow facility opening, adding, "Why not? once it is all set up and running, we probably won't even think twice about it."

 

Kristen Brill Pilletere also wrote that she doesn't feel it's a problem, in part because business will provide its own security.  Many responding on the social media site noted that Bayer Pharmaceuticals was previously in the city and produced prescription drugs.

 

But some said the PZC should be focusing more time on improving areas of the city than studying this application.  Margaret Patella feels officials should be revitalizing Campbell Avenue with new and "upscale" businesses, since it's the center of town.

 

"This is just my opinion, and I wish that Planning and Zoning would focus on the bigger issues than some medical marijuana facility," she wrote.

 

Lori Jensen said it's not a good move and has talked to many people who are against the plan, adding, "We are lowering the standards of a family type city."

 

But council member Nancy Rossi says now that the state has legalized medical marijuana, it seems no different than any other prescription drug that is produced and dispensed.  Security is also important to her.

 

"There has to be place to do it, to grow it, and I also look to the poor people that need it.  It's going to increase tax revenue.  ...  I'm glad to see a business coming in as long as it's a law-abiding business, which it is," Rossi said.

 

Three businesses near the Frontage Road address either didn't return calls or said no one was available to comment on the matter.  The Police Department also had no comment.

 

Picard, who spoke about the medical marijuana program last week with the state Department of Consumer Protection commissioner, said he's pleased the business will spruce up the building and bring in more tax revenue, but is not yet ready to predict the success of the venture.

 

"They're investing in the building, and that's a good thing.  There will be more jobs in the area, and that's a good thing," Picard said.  "From there, we'll see how it goes."

MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom

 

[solabeirtan]

Interesting use of the English language,  Isla Hombre? Pot Factories ehhh, Is this something like a Maquiladora? Or that place Apple has in China?    
 
"Factories arose with the introduction of machinery during the Industrial Revolution when the capital and space requirements became too great [?] for cottage industry or workshops. Early factories that contained small amounts of machinery, such as one or two spinning mules, and fewer than a dozen workers have been called "glorified workshops."
 
See how that works? Industrial Revolution,

 Factories, Wars, Unions, $$$ we made so much Steel they used it against US to make chains [guns,etc] so Large and Strong that they will enslave us for a long, long time .
 
Cannabis cannot be manufactured, most of US understand that. It is instead propagated. Little?difference. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LjbMVXj0F8

with lyrics press youTube

Edited July 28, 2013 by solabeirtan

[greenbuddha]

Frustration, subjugation, inflation, negation, population.

 

And the beat goes on.

 

So what's new in any of it???

 

The world will never be specifically like any one of us wants it to be... it will always be a mix of different people and different ideas.

 

I choose to be positive about it, myself ... but each to his own.

[solabeirtan]

Nice to be Independently wealthy, with no conscience, compassion or any other ties to humanity ? Besides putting 0's on your accumulated wealth in the Bank. That pays [Legally?] insignificant Interest Rates on your savings account these days, since we bailed them out. [Legally?]  Alright if your a successful " Dollar Monger " *. Pretty good insulation, if nothing else... 

 

* " traficante Dollar " en Espanol

 

What language do they speak on your Island, bro?

 

 

Frustration, subjugation, inflation, negation, population.

 

And the beat down goes on.

 

Sounds much like dehumanization to me.

Tough time finding anything positive there...

Edited July 28, 2013 by solabeirtan