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From the Benicia Herald, by Galen Kusic; responses by Steve Young , September 20, 2020 COVID-19 economic recovery for businesses and the City. While the City has offered grants, services and accommodations to help local businesses survive during the pandemic, what will you do to further assist businesses while also following state and federal guidelines to keep citizens safe? What is your plan toward economic recovery for businesses and the City? Unfortunately, the City has been too slow to react. I made two proposals to the Council, both of which were rejected and both of which are still worthy of pursuing. My proposal in late March for Downtown Dollars, under which the City (through Benicia Main St) would issue $100 certificates to 500 persons economically affected by the pandemic to be spent at any local small business or restaurant, was defeated by a 3-2 vote for reasons that were described only as “not well thought out”. (The City of Martinez has recently adopted the exact same pr...

By Stan Golovich The dwindling population of anti-cannabis crusaders in our town suffered another defeat at Tuesday's meeting of our City Council to hear an appeal of the Planning Commission's 5-0 decision to permit our first cannabis dispensary at 160 East N Street. As expected, the council locked up at 2-2, and the appeal failed. Tom Campbell had to recuse since he lives less than 400 feet away.    Only sixty-one citizens objected, offering the same assurances of crime, etc. since day 1 of cannabis hearings. It is important to reaffirm the role of our Chief of Police in these matters. He has consistently testified that sound legislative policy, advanced security design, and diligent oversight are consistent with trouble-free dispensary operations he has observed in his career. Our city requires a Public Safety License sign-off from the Chief before any cannabis-related business can operate. That should be sufficient for those that harbor fears about regulated cannabis s...