State auditor criticizes cannabis licensing process in Fresno, other CA cities

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The State Auditor is zeroing successful connected the City of Fresno, criticizing however it licenses ineligible cannabis dispensaries.

In a 60-page audit released past week, the authorities auditor recovered the anticipation of corruption and conflicts of interest.

State Auditor Grant Parks wrote Fresno's "process lacks transparency for however perchance lucrative cannabis-related permits are being issued by the metropolis manager, perchance eroding nationalist spot successful the process."

Robin Goldstein is an economist astatine UC Davis, wherever helium studies cannabis markets. He broke down the audit during an interrogation with Action News.

"I deliberation the issues successful Fresno, successful particular, related to having nary appeals process for applicants," Goldstein said. "The thought of nary unsighted scoring. The thought that determination wasn't anonymity successful the process was besides problematic."

The study besides criticizes the metropolis manager's powerfulness to o.k. applications, but metropolis communications manager Sontaya Rose says that is what the metropolis assembly wanted.

"The ordinance passed by the Fresno City Council successful 2018 gives the City Manager work and authorization for processing the licence exertion valuation process and for issuing permits," Rose said. "However, the Mayor and City Council has the authorization to entreaty that decision."

Fresno is not alone. The audit besides recovered problems with however 3 different California cities and 2 counties licence their dispensaries. Goldstein says he's not surprised.

"The wide occupation each crossed the authorities is these limitations - these artificial quotas oregon these artificial caps connected the fig of licenses that tin beryllium awarded," Goldstein said. "When you person artificial involution wherever immoderate producers are allowed to produce, and others are not, consumers lose. They wage higher prices for little quality."

The City Council President and the city's communications manager archer Action News Fresno would see the audit's recommendations successful the future.

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