The mic-drop moment at a hearing about cannabis regulation on Monday night at Goleta City Council Chambers came when well-known community member George Relles declared, “It’s clear to me something goes forward.”
By that, Relles meant the City of Goleta would embrace regulating recreational cannabis sales rather than banning them outright. “I’m not against the city making extra money on this,” he said, adding that the industry should be tightly regulated.
His comment came after a number of frustrated neighbors and cannabis professionals spoke about the expanding industry. The hearing was organized by city staff, and run by Deputy City Attorney Winnie Cai, simply to gather public input. The city councilmembers were not on the dais.