As many of you know by now, if everything works out as expected, I should be returning to the Hanford City Council this December.

With that in mind, I recently read an article published by The Hanford Sentinel regarding the approval of Hanford’s third cannabis dispensary. One part immediately caught my attention.

The article states that city officials have said cannabis currently brings in approximately $1 million a year to the City. The Sentinel then describes that money as being “funneled to local public safety and parks.”

I want to make something clear. The word “funneled” is the word used in The Sentinel article. I am not saying a city official used that word.

But pay attention to that word: “funneled.”

To me, that gets directly to the transparency issue I’ve been talking about for years.

The Original Intent Was Clear

When I previously served on the Hanford City Council, the intent for cannabis revenue was clear: 60% for public safety and 40% for downtown revitalization.

Before I left the City Council, I pushed to create a policy requiring cannabis revenue to be kept in its own separate account for transparency and accountability, and that policy was approved.

ADVERTISEMENT

Why was that important?

Because I wanted residents to be able to see exactly how much cannabis revenue came into the City and exactly where that money went.

ADVERTISEMENT

It should be easy to answer:

How much did we collect?

How much went to public safety?

How much went to downtown revitalization?

What exactly did the money pay for?

That’s transparency.

But after I left the Council, nothing was done to follow through with it. The separate account was never established as intended.

People who were there at the time know what happened and can verify what I’m saying. We addressed this issue. We approved a policy to provide greater transparency. It simply wasn’t implemented after I left.

Instead, cannabis revenue goes into the General Fund.

And that’s the problem.

Once cannabis revenue is mixed together with other General Fund revenues, the public doesn’t have that simple, separate account where they can follow the money from beginning to end.

If we’re told cannabis revenue is being used for public safety and parks, residents should be able to verify that for themselves.

Don’t just tell us. Show us.

Now Look at Downtown

Here’s where I really want people to pay attention.

The original intent was that 40% of cannabis revenue would go toward downtown revitalization.

Everybody knows about the four-way stops downtown. We’ve all seen what happened.

The traffic lights came out, and four-way stop signs went in.

Four-way stops are the cheaper alternative.

So I think residents have every right to look around and ask:

Where is the downtown revitalization?

We’re talking about approximately $1 million a year in cannabis revenue, according to the figure reported by The Sentinel.

If 40% was intended for downtown revitalization, what are we getting for it?

Have you seen new revitalization downtown?

Where are the major improvements?

Where are the investments?

What can residents physically point to and say, “That’s what our cannabis money helped revitalize”?

Because right now, one of the most visible changes residents have seen is traffic lights coming down and cheaper four-way stop signs going up.

That’s why I’m asking the question.

Where is the revitalization?

This isn’t about whether you personally like or dislike a four-way stop. It’s about priorities.

If we’re collecting this kind of revenue and a significant portion was originally intended to improve and revitalize downtown, residents deserve to see the results.

And they deserve to see the accounting.

This Is Exactly Why I Wanted a Separate Account

This is why I fought for that separate cannabis revenue account before I left office.

Had the policy been implemented as approved, there wouldn’t need to be speculation.

We could open the books and see it.

Cannabis revenue collected.

Money spent on public safety.

Money spent on downtown revitalization.

Specific projects funded.

Money remaining.

Simple.

That’s what transparency should look like.

I’ve raised this issue multiple times, and it has been ignored.

Government shouldn’t ask people to simply trust that money went where it was supposed to go.

Give people the ability to verify it.

This November Election Is Critical

That’s why I believe this November election is so critical.

We need to vote for the right people. We need Council members who are going to do the job, ask the tough questions, listen to residents, demand accountability, and actually practice transparency.

When I return to the Council, I intend to propose restoring the original intent: 60% for public safety and 40% for downtown revitalization.

I will also push again for cannabis revenue to be placed into its own separate account, so the public can see exactly how much comes in and exactly where every dollar goes.

If Hanford is receiving approximately $1 million a year from cannabis, residents deserve answers.

Show us the account.

Show us the numbers.

Show us the projects.

Show us where the money went.

And when it comes to downtown, look around. Everybody has seen the four-way stops. We’ve seen the traffic lights removed and the cheaper alternative put in their place.

So I’ll ask again:

Where is the revitalization?

That’s why this November, I believe it’s essential to vote for Council members who truly believe in transparency and accountability, not the people who are currently in office.

Hanford deserves better than promises of transparency.

Hanford deserves proof.