DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - It's been two months since the legalization of cannabis in Illinois.
The state said it's seeing millions of dollars come back in tax revenue, but village and town officials want public input on the ballot.
The Macon County 2020 ballot includes seven referendum questions, mainly asking if villages and towns should consider opting in having cannabis businesses. The ballots include the Decatur Township, Blue Mound and Warrensburg. Lisa Stanley, the supervisor for the Decatur Township, described the ballots as a survey.
"It would send a message to the city council," Stanley said. "It's not binding. We can't make them do it."
The question on the ballot for Decatur Township residents reads: "Should the city of Decatur allow the sale of recreational cannabis and cannabis-infused products to adults 21 and older?"
Stanley said if the majority of voters said 'yes', she hopes the Decatur city council will reconsider. While the township uses the referendum question as a suggestion to the city council, Warrensburg leaders are relying on the people to help make a decision.
Voters can choose if they want to allow cannabis organizations and businesses within village limits. Mayor Corey A. Maloney said cannabis is a hot topic issue on both sides. He said the council was split between them making the vote and the letting people get a say.
The mayor said the people should make that choice.
"We work for the residents," Maloney said. "The residents are basically the ones who put us in this position."
Essentially, voting is how city, village and town leaders get a better understanding of their community. Public forum during meetings can be effective; sometimes the loudest voice can be heard by filling in the bubble.
The 2020 Illinois Primary is March 17.
