Los Angeles, CA – Today, the Chair of the City’s Public Safety Committee, Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez, introduced a motion directing the City Attorney to draft an ordinance enabling City agencies to recover all costs associated with utility disconnection or other enforcement actions taken to shut down illegal cannabis businesses.
April 12, 2019
Press Contact:
Tran Le, tran.le@lacity.org, 213-257-0475
COUNCILWOMAN MONICA RODRIGUEZ PUSHES FULL COST RECOVERY FOR ILLEGAL CANNABIS ENFORCEMENT
Los Angeles, CA – Today, the Chair of the City’s Public Safety Committee, Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez, introduced a motion directing the City Attorney to draft an ordinance enabling City agencies to recover all costs associated with utility disconnection or other enforcement actions taken to shut down illegal cannabis businesses.
“This is a no nonsense approach to tackling the spread of illegal cannabis operators in our communities and instilling the seriousness of violating City policy,” said Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez. “Property owners responsible for harboring illegal cannabis businesses must be held accountable for their role in undermining our legal system. They should be held responsible for the full costs of public safety enforcement efforts.”
The City currently assesses property owners and businesses for the costs of other specialized public safety enforcement efforts, such as brush fire hazard abatement. Illegal cannabis businesses pose similar threats to public safety and a similar policy and procedure should be established. These costs include materials used to secure facilities, staff hours generated by those engaged in enforcement, and other operational costs. The motion directs the City to establish a policy that seeks full cost recovery from those that lease their property to illegal cannabis businesses.
“Our taxpayers should not be the ones to bear the costs associated with enforcement and I look forward to bringing this policy Citywide to ensure that those engaging in illegal commercial cannabis activity be brought to justice,” said Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez.”
To read the Councilwoman’s motion, view here.
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Los Angeles City Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez serves as the City’s Chair of Public Safety and represents the 7th Council District in the Northeast San Fernando Valley which include the neighborhoods of Sylmar, Mission Hills, Pacoima, Lake View Terrace, Sunland, Tujunga, North Hills, Shadow Hills, and La Tuna Canyon.