Pasco Business Leader Disputes Pot Business Support Data

The latest rounds in a long-running 'battle' over establishing a pot store in downtown Pasco have seen supporters present information to the Pasco City Council, while opponents challenge it.

   Pasco business leader disputes pro-pot business owner data

During the recent Pasco City Council meeting on July 18th and a workshop on July 25th, several pro-pot business supporters presented information to the council about the possibility of a pot shop in downtown Pasco in the 400 block of Lewis St.

 According to supporters, and the letter of support or petition they presented to the council and filed with the city, 53 of 60 downtown businesses support the idea. The supporters went shop to shop and talked to them about the idea. They acknowledged some of the business owners do not reside here, and not everyone they spoke to was an owner.

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During the meeting, David Morgan, who owns the Lucky Leaf pot store in Spokane, made a presentation to the council about such a project would benefit the area.

   Latin Business Association leader disputes this support

Leo Perales, the Vice President of the Latin Business Association in Pasco, commented on the proposal saying Pasco already has issues with homelessness and crime as well as drug issues, and  a pot store "doesn't fit the character of the downtown." 

He also told us the list of businesses showing 53 of 60 support a pot shop is misleading, as many of the persons they spoke to are not necessarily in positions of authority at the business. Some were managers and perhaps a few owners, but Perales had this to say about the pro-pot business list:

 “if they are going to get signatures, it should be from business owners/property owners”  as opposed to workers or employees.

Perales has said earlier around 95 percent of the LBA members he has interacted with are against the idea.