$10,000 penalty is anti-landlord hurting honest ones, and will not solving the problem. The Local Law 2023/107 passed July 23, 2023 includes unlicensed selling of cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, tobacco products, including illicit cannabis. All this law has done is to transfer the selling to other shops and streets.
Voters would say it’s about time! But Council Member Lynn Schulman’s legislation is faulty from the start as I have stated back in June 23, 2023.
Introduction. “This bill would prohibit knowingly leasing commercial premises (emphasis added) to a tenant who uses the premises for the distribution or sale of illicit cannabis or tobacco products without a license.”
(1) No license can be issued without a lease. How could the landlord know at lease signing?
(2) The legislation is asking landlords to “police” their tenants for “illicit cannabis or unlicensed tobacco product?”
(3) Should the landlord evict tenant for violation, landlord will be on the hook for non-payment of rent and civil penalties accruing.
(4) Who is to do the quarterly report? Sheriff? It is another guarantee of waste and bad report.
SOLUTION? Make recreational marijuana illegal again. Restrict and end illegal and recreational marijuana!
“We will see results soon,” per main sponsor Councilwoman Lynn Schulman.
Vote Danniel Maio by November 7, 2023
