Cannabis equity program at risk in San Diego mayor's proposed budget
The city's cannabis social equity program could be on the cutting room floor before it really got off the ground.
A city of San Diego cannabis social equity program has been in the works for years.
The program's goal is to open doors for people and family members impacted by the criminalization of cannabis so that they can enter the now-legal industry. The city's own study found people of color were disproportionately affected.
Megain McCall has a felony cannabis conviction for possession of a bag of cannabis-infused candy. McCall has spent half a decade advocating for the social equity program.
"Most of my friends have cannabis convictions," McCall said. "I'm trying to think of someone who doesn't. Cannabis convictions have taken a lot of people away from me."
McCall said having a conviction on her record is "haunting."
"You always have to mark that box if you're looking for work," McCall said. “And some people even want you to write what it was and you're telling this story over and over. It's like you can't live it down."
McCall is disheartened to hear the city's equity program could be on the chopping block, with Mayor Todd Gloria proposing cuts to address the city's $137 million budget deficit. McCall is especially concerned at the prospect of losing tax dollars that could be re-invested in the very communities hit hardest by cannabis criminalization.
"We need equity, not equality, to get a leg up so we can even out," McCall said. "It's the revenue stream that we want. We want to fix things. We want to fix ourselves. We want to help ourselves.”
San Diego City Council president Sean Elo-Rivera said the mayor's proposed budget does not look or feel equitable at present.
"And, yes, there is additional tax revenue from the sale of cannabis that we could you, you know, certainly benefit from," Elo-Rivera said.
Gloria's office sent the following statement to NBC 7:
"None of the cuts in this proposed budget were easy or made lightly.... This budget ensures our police, fire and lifeguards’ ability to respond quickly and effectively; maintains library and park hours and programs; continues to make progress on street repaving; and helps get people off the streets and connected with services to end their homelessness."
For McCall, the cannabis equity opportunities are a chance for communities of color that paid a high price for participating in.
"It's not enough," McCall said. "I mean, we're talking about 20, 30 years of horrible treatment. It's not enough, but it is one tool to help right wrongs and we're going to help each other."
