County board hopefuls: DuPage should allow recreational pot sales

Democrats running for two seats on the DuPage County Board say they would support overturning a ban on recreational marijuana businesses in unincorporated areas.

Five candidates are seeking the Democratic nomination for one District 4 seat on the county board during the March 17 primary. The candidates are Hadiya Afzal of Glen Ellyn, Janette DeFelice of Glen Ellyn, John Jacobs of Wheaton, Lynn LaPlante of Glen Ellyn and Hailey Nicewanner of Glen Ellyn.

The top vote-getter will advance to face incumbent Republican Tim Elliott of Glen Ellyn in the November general election. District 4 includes all or parts of Addison, Bloomingdale, Carol Stream, Glen Ellyn, Glendale Heights, Lisle, Lombard, Wheaton and Winfield.

Meanwhile, two candidates - Amy Chavez of Naperville and Mary Jo Mullen of Lisle - will face off to decide who will be the Democratic nominee in District 5, which covers all or parts of Aurora, Lisle, Naperville, Warrenville and Woodridge.

The winner is expected to face Republican newcomer Kevin Coyne, a Naperville City Council member, in November.

During endorsement interviews last week, six of the seven Democratic candidates - Afzal, DeFelice, Jacobs, LaPlante, Chavez and Mullen - were asked about the county board's vote last fall to prohibit cultivation centers, craft growers and other adult-use cannabis businesses in unincorporated parts of DuPage.

"It was a disappointing decision," said Afzal, adding that she hopes the board reconsiders.

The 10-8 vote came in October after county officials spent months reviewing how DuPage could be affected if it allowed businesses to sell marijuana under Illinois' Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act, which has made recreational use and possession by adults legal.

LaPlante said she believes the decision was motivated by the election.

"They voted that way knowing it was just being pushed down the line," LaPlante said. "They're going to have to revisit it and vote again.

"What they are trying to do is wait until it becomes much more accepted," she said. "So when they eventually vote to say 'yes,' it will not create waves."

DeFelice, meanwhile, says the county should reconsider.

"We are allowed to sell alcohol and cigarettes in the county," she said. "Why not marijuana? What is the difference?"

While the board voted to prohibit recreational pot sales in unincorporated areas, it agreed to impose a 3% tax on all retail sales of recreational cannabis in municipalities.

Jacobs says the board's decisions were "inconsistent." He said allowing pot shops in unincorporated areas would generate additional revenue for the county.

"It's legal anyway," he said. "I don't see the reason to not want to collect more tax revenue."

DeFelice said it's "only fair" to allow recreational pot sales in unincorporated areas if the county is going to be getting tax dollars from municipalities with dispensaries.

"There's a budget crisis," she said. "It seems that this would be a way to address the budget crisis and get some resources."

Nicewanner declined to participate in the endorsement interviews.

Both Democrats in the District 5 race agree when it comes to allowing recreational cannabis sales.

Chavez said she has lived in two states that allow recreational pot sales.

"There's always going to be issues," she said. "But I think we can regulate it."

Chavez said a regulated product is safer than what's being sold on the black market.

Now that the county has opted out, Mullen said "a lot of people need to see what the realities will be."

"There was a lot of speculation and concern," she said. "Now we need to see how it actually plays out."

However, she said she would be a proponent of opting in.

"It is legal," Mullen said. "It is here. Unless that changes at a state level, I think we have an opportunity to take the revenue from the taxation on cannabis."

She said DuPage could use that money to fund mental health programs and combat the opioid crisis.