Election 2022: Manhattan Beach Nixes Pot Shops
Nov 09, 2022 09:14AM ● By Jeanne Fratello
Cannabis shops in Manhattan Beach? "No thank you" was the resounding answer from residents in the November 8 election.
Although the votes have not fully been counted, Measure MB, which would have permitted cannabis retailers in Manhattan Beach, appears to have been soundly defeated.
The latest update from the L.A. County Registrar/Recorder shows the measure going down, with only 22% "yes" to 78% "no." (2,127 votes in favor to 7,644 opposed).
Meanwhile, a counter-measure, Measure V, was put forth by the city and would reaffirm the city's ban on commercial cannabis. At latest count, that measure was also winning by a wide margin, 68% to 32%. (6,555 in favor to 3,112 opposed).
"I'm grateful for the wisdom of Manhattan Beach voters in rejecting
the self serving attempt to force pot shops on Manhattan Beach through a
campaign of lies and deceit," Manhattan Beach Mayor Steve Napolitano told MB News. "It was a waste of time and money and a
lesson in how not to [run] a ballot initiative and
the end result is an even stronger prohibition on retail pot shops
here."
Napolitano continued: "This wasn't about access to cannabis here in Manhattan Beach;
there's already delivery services that provide that. This was nothing
but a selfish money grab by one operator and it was
wrong at every level and the voters clearly saw through the terrible
campaign they ran."
Measure MB vs. Measure V
The competing measures had been the source of some confusion in Manhattan Beach.
Measure MB,
a citizen/business-led initiative, would have repealed Manhattan Beach's 2017 ban
on commercial cannabis activity and compelled the city to approve three
cannabis retailers in Manhattan Beach, as well as
permit other commercial cannabis activity.
Measure V, a city-sponsored initiative, reaffirms the city's existing ban on commercial cannabis activity.
Both
measures needed a majority of votes (50% + 1) to pass. If they both had passed,
the measure with the greater number of votes would have prevailed. If neither had passed, the status quo would have remained in effect (essentially,
what Measure V proposes). However, since Measure V passed, it has the same result - i.e., the commercial cannabis ban remains intact.
Historical note: In 2016, Manhattan Beach residents voted 61%-39% in favor of the statewide Proposition 64 to legalize and regulate marijuana more like alcohol.
Nevertheless,
Manhattan Beach remained at best divided over whether to allow
commercial cannabis sales in town. The City Council - and public
commenters at their meetings - had been outspoken about maintaining the
existing ban on cannabis sales.
A group of residents had organized an opposition campaign to Measure MB at http://www.votenoonmb.com/.
For preliminary results on the Manhattan Beach City Council and school board races, read the story here.
