
420 FILE–On Monday the Los Angeles Department of Cannabis Regulations (DCR), Executive Director Cat Packer presented to the City Council Budget and Finance Committee made up of Council Members; Chair Paul Krekorian, Mitch Englander, Paul Koretz, Bob Blumenfield and Mike Bonin in consideration of the Mayor’s Budget for the fiscal year 2018-19. Councilmembers focused on two areas; Enforcement and Cannabis applications.
As a 2ndterm Budget Advocate and committee chair of department reports for the 2017 and 2018 Budget Advocate White Paper, I am familiar with departmental challenges. Last year I advocated for additional funding for the Information Technology Agency headed by Ted Ross for the implementation of software systems networked across departments. The costs and time lost associated with tracking paper or information housed in outdated computer software systems is an inefficient use of our tax dollars. I was not surprised to hear the Cat Packer ask for a centralized entity that collects cannabis complaints, tracks and is accountable to responses, as well as a New database that can share data sets across the following departments;
- DCR
- Police
- Fire
- Building and Safety
- DWP
- City Attorney
To date 142 Prop M temporary licenses have been issued and 60 more are on hold due to address and ownership issues. Only 142 since January 2018? LA has had marijuana collectives since 2009, but there has never been compliance enforcement. Years of owners legal and illegal operating without any checks and balances.
To Read The Rest Of This Article By Brigette Kidd on City Watch LA
Published: May 03, 2018

Founder & Interim Editor of L.A. Cannabis News