Dear Editor,
I find it ironic that in our community, a person can pick up a sex doll for rent, and purchase alcohol from over 20 liquor outlets spread throughout the City and the Township, but a law-abiding citizen is prohibited from purchasing legal cannabis in a retail setting. I find this appalling.
Both councils by their inaction on this issue have allowed the black and grey market to flourish and grow in our community, and this has led to a plethora of social problems.
As an example, the latest RCMP crime statistics reported at the Jan. 27 Langley City council meeting showed that crime and violent crime is growing. Assaults were up from 66 in 2018 to 106 in 2019. Weapons/firearm offences grew from 12 in 2018 to 21 in 2019.
By disallowing cannabis retail in our community, both councils are not protecting the most vulnerable citizens (children, seniors and the mentally ill). Instead they are using their personal bias as a basis to prohibit a product that has been legal in Canada since October 2018.
On a financial note, I find it appalling that both mayors and councils raise our property taxes year after year, yet they refuse to accept these legal tax dollars that could be going into municipal coffers.
The federal government keeps 25 per cent of cannabis taxes collected with a 75 per cent share going to the provinces. In turn municipalities are eligible for 25 per cent of the taxes collected in their communities. How many years would that preclude our property taxes from going up?
Lilianne Fuller, Fernridge
