COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — The Colorado Springs City Council has decided to override a veto issued by Mayor Yemi Mobolade over his authority as mayor versus the council's authority regarding the city's recreational marijuana sales tax revenue.
On Tuesday, the City Council voted 6-3 to override the mayor's veto. With the vote playing out as it originally did, with Council Members Henjum, Donalson, and Gold voting in dissent. For more background, watch our previous coverage in the video player below.
Mayor Mobolade quickly took to social media to express his disappointment in the council and concerns about the bureaucracy the new ordinance will create. You can read the mayor's statement below.
The conflict between the bodies of local government goes back to a 2022 vote when Colorado Springs residents rejected recreational marijuana, but approved how its sales tax revenue would be used. Now that voters approved recreational marijuana in 2024, the 5% tax goes to public safety, mental health services, and PTSD treatment programs for veterans.
In June City Council passed the following ordinance: ORDINANCE NO. 25-59 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 108 (SPECIAL FUND CRE-ATED) OF ARTICLE 13 (RETAIL MARIJUANA SALES TAX) OF CHAPTER 2 (BUSINESS LICENSING, LIQUOR REGULATION AND TAXATION) OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF COLORADO SPRINGS 2001, AS AMENDED, PERTAINING TO EXPENDITURES OF THE SPECIAL FUND.
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