If approved, third recreational pot shop could lead to more tax transparency in Manitou Springs
MANITOU SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO)-- Ballots have been mailed out in the city of Manitou Springs for a special election on Jan. 18, 2022. In the election, voters will decide whether or not to pass Ordinance No. 1121, essentially, whether to allow a third recreational marijuana shop in town.
Renze Waddington wants to bring his pot shop Epic Remedy, to the city. He has three locations in El Paso County, all of them medical. He'd like to open a recreational shop off Hwy 24, near Higginbotham Flats.
"I'm not really sure why the city council and the mayor of Manitou Springs do not want a third recreational store," Waddington said. "I feel the third store would be good for the city of Manitou Springs. I feel that they have done a lot of good with the tax revenue that they have collected from the two stores, and the third store would bring more revenue.
Mayor John Graham and the city council, however, have made it clear, they don't want him or any other recreational stores in the city.
Tuesday night, the Manitou Springs City Council met and passed a resolution, encouraging residents to vote no on the ballot question in favor of a third shop.
In the resolution, the council says it's about honoring voters, who have already spoken on this matter in a past election, but the arrival of an additional shop would also bring an interesting change to how marijuana tax revenue is reported to the public.
The resolution passed Tuesday says electors spoke in 2014, voting they only want to have two recreational stores.
A Colorado statute says regulators only need to release sales tax information if a city has three or more vendors. The addition of Waddington's store would mean having to publicly disclose how much marijuana tax revenue is flowing into Manitou Springs.
"I feel like we all want more transparency with government," Waddington said.
When Manitou Springs voters have their ballots counted on next week, he's hoping they'll want his business and his promise of more competitive pricing, for the area.
"From what I understand, the locals feel like they're being gouged."
