Letters

When it comes to cannabis, Southampton Town needs to — in the words of Joe Shaw’s new Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback, Aaron Rodgers — R-E-L-A-X, relax.

More people in town use cannabis than you’d think. Those who don’t? Honestly, maybe they should give it a try.

It’s legal here, thanks to then-Councilman and now State Assemblyman Tommy John Schiavoni, who supported choosing not to opt out of New York’s adult-use cannabis program, unlike every other East End town and village.

According to the State Office of Cannabis Management, the town’s restrictions do not comply with state law [“New York State Poised To Strike Down Southampton Site Plan Review of Cannabis Stores,” 27east.com, October 6]. The town changed zoning along Montauk Highway in Hampton Bays from highway business to hamlet commercial, conveniently shutting out a potential dispensary site. Meanwhile, Charlie Fox, fully licensed by the state, can’t get a permit.

The town’s pattern is simple: Wait for a potential application, then change the zoning after the fact. That’s illegal, per the OCM.

At the same time, Supervisor Maria Moore’s proposed $143 million 2026 budget will pierce the tax cap for the second year in a row, adding another $9.2 million in spending on top of last year’s $11 million jump [“Southampton Town Unveils $143 Million Budget That Would Hike Taxes 9.7 Percent, Add More Police,” 27east.com, October 2]. Wow. Cannabis doesn’t need an intervention — the town’s budget does.

Here’s a thought: Stop fighting a legal industry and start accepting a legal source of revenue. Under New York State law, adult-use cannabis carries a retail tax, with a 4 percent local cannabis tax that goes straight into the town’s coffers. That’s fresh revenue to shield hiking property taxes.

And let’s not overlook the obvious upside: This will help local businesses, too. Imagine all the extra business at Uncle Joe’s, Francesca’s or No. 1 Chinese once people light up. They’ll be hungry. Very. And after staring at the town’s bloated budget or the village’s endless “traffic studies” that somehow make traffic worse, we’re all going to need a little cannabis just to cope.

Southampton Town should stop fighting reality. Cannabis isn’t the enemy — the town’s fiscal mismanagement is. Embrace the opportunity, let the dollars flow, and take a deep breath.

Or better yet, take a hit. And as Aaron Rodgers said, R-E-L-A-X, relax.

Jessica McNerney

Southampton