Other states have tried to emphasize equity in their markets. But in California, for example, such efforts have been complicated by strict regulation, high taxes and substantial barriers to entry that have left the state struggling, years later, to quell a thriving black market of untested, untaxed weed.
And in New Jersey, social equity candidates who hope to take advantage of a law similar to New York’s have struggled to find capital and secure leases — part of the impetus behind New York’s $200 million expenditure.
The news of the governor’s plan drew a sharp rebuke from State Senator Rob Ortt, the minority leader, who criticized the Democrats who control Albany for handing out “hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars to those who have broken the law.”
“This is just another reminder that Albany is out of touch with the needs of law-abiding New Yorkers, who pay their taxes, and do the right thing,” Mr. Ortt said in a statement.
Mr. Alexander dismissed criticism over the decision to favor those with prior criminal records, saying that the Legislature had made clear its intentions in passing the law last year, and noting that the state regularly funds economic development in a range of industries.
State Assemblywoman Crystal Peoples-Stokes, the Assembly’s majority leader, said that the move to prioritize those with marijuana convictions was crucial in ensuring that the industry wasn’t dominated by out-of-state conglomerates.
“We’re trying to do what no other state has done, and that’s focus on their people,” said Ms. Peoples-Stokes, an architect of the law. “It’s critical because it’s a huge industry that’s going to grow our economy a lot, and I think it makes sense to let that growth begin with New Yorkers.”
Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/09/nyregion/marijuana-sellers-licenses-hochul.html
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