Unscientific Facebook poll favors Du Quoin ref on marijuana
Public comment on Mayor Guy Alongi's Facebook page is running heavily in favor of holding a November referendum asking voters in Du Quoin if they want to permit marijuana sales in the city.
The Facebook comments - while an unscientific poll - are evidence that there is at least some interest in putting the question to the voting public.
The Du Quoin council will also hold a public comment session on marijuana at 6:30 p.m. March 23 in the city hall, after the regular council meeting.
The referendum, which Alongi first proposed as binding, would actually be an advisory referendum, city attorney Aaron Atkins determined after researching the question.
Which means that whichever way the vote went, the city council would not be legally obligated to vote the same way.
Still, "I would hope the council would vote the public's wishes," Alongi said.
Alongi has acknowledged he would most likely vote for marijuana, either in a council vote or referendum, because of the revenue the city could collect from a 3% tax levied on all marijuana sales. $5 million in marijuana sales in one year would garner about $150,000 for the city, he estimates.
But Alongi said he pledges he will vote the will of the people, even if a referendum shows the majority of voters don't want it.
"It doesn't matter to me if it wins or loses, I want the people to have a voice in the decision," Alongi said.
No southern Illinois community has yet held a referendum on marijuana sales, but Murphysboro is talking about it. When the Murphysboro city council voted down marijuana sales last year, Mayor Will Stephens cast the deciding vote against it. But even as he cast his vote, he said he thought the issue should be voted on.
Stephens could not be reached for details, but a Murphysboro referendum has not yet been placed on a ballot.
Alongi said he likes holding the vote in November on a presidential election ballot, where turnout is expected to be robust and no one has to declare a politic party in order to vote.
It is unclear whether a majority of Du Quoin commissioners will agree to put a marijuana referendum on the November ballot, but they have until Aug. 17 to decide.
Another way a referendum could get on the ballot is for a grass-roots petition drive to be made, where enough signatures of registered voters are collected to force a referendum.
"The last thing I want to do is alienate any of my commissioners," Alongi said, when asked if any of his board feels he is strong-arming them. "The only thing I'm trying to do is put some options out there and make it as fair as possible for the citizens."
Alongi said none of this would be happening if the state legislature hadn't put municipalities in a Catch -22, by forcing municipal leaders to pass zoning for marijuana and to vote up or down.
"The state put us in the crosshairs - the state isn't getting the local fallout we are," Alongi said.
"In the end, there are 4,000 applications sitting with the state of Illinois for 75 licenses (that will be awarded in April or May). What chance does Du Quoin actually have for getting a dispensary?"
Alongi said one group has reached out to Du Quoin, saying they could be interested in opening a dispensary here. The mayor said his understanding is that this group has an application in with the state for a license, but doesn't believe it is for a local dispensary.
Alongi is skeptical Du Quoin would be among the first to get a license - as most of those are likely going to higher-traffic areas.