Commissioners press staff for revenue figures, measurable outcomes and expungement support as social equity policy is revised

After the informational presentation on the social equity policy, commissioners pressed staff for concrete implementation details and requested additional supports for people with prior convictions.

Commissioner PRL asked that staff provide full cannabis-revenue totals dating to 2020 so the commission can evaluate what a 25% allocation represents; Boyd said the 25% allocation has historically ranged roughly $280,000 to $350,000 per year and that the recent 24% wholesale tax increase will change revenues with clearer numbers expected in late 2027. Commissioner Slaby asked whether the expansion beyond cannabis would be coded into policy language or provided as a separate program; Boyd said he would return with language and consider splitting the RFP into multiple solicitations.

Commissioner Hoffman urged that the new iteration include supports that address the mass-incarceration legacy of cannabis prohibition, specifically naming expungement or legal services as potential funded services to reduce barriers to participation. Boyd said staff is aware of existing expungement fairs and will examine options to embed stronger legal supports in the RFP or program design.

Commissioners also asked whether program dollars would be limited to city residents or could be used for businesses operating in the city but owned by nonresidents; staff said the first pass would likely emphasize city residents but would need legal review and will return with recommendations. Staff committed to adding measurable outcomes to the RFP and bringing clearer revenue figures to the Aug. 10 meeting.