Council Spotlight
Councilmembers Mink, Jawando, Sayles and Advocates Hold Press Conference on Bill 4-24
On July 16, 2024, the Montgomery County Council unanimously passed Bill 4-24, “Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund Commission – Established.” Lead sponsors Councilmembers Kristin Mink, Will Jawando and Laurie-Anne Sayles held a press conference with community advocates and service providers to discuss the significance of the bill’s passage. The legislation creates a commission of 13 voting members drawn from impacted communities to advise on the allocation of tax revenue from the sale of cannabis.
Under State law, 35 percent of cannabis excise tax revenues are reserved for local jurisdictions to invest in community-based initiatives and programming benefitting communities disproportionately impacted by decades of cannabis prohibition.
At the press conference, the Councilmembers were joined by Hashim Jabar, co-executive director at Racial Justice NOW, Yanet Amanuel, public policy director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland, and Courtney Hall, CEO of Interfaith Works.