Lindenhurst Village launches survey on marijuana retail sales, sites to gauge residents' views

The Village of Lindenhurst is trying to gauge residents’ views on recreational marijuana retail sales and consumption sites using an online poll, but the mayor says that might not be enough.

The village launched the survey on Aug. 10 in anticipation of having to decide whether to opt out of the state’s new marijuana law, which legalizes the possession, sale and growing of marijuana for recreational purposes for anyone 21 years and older.

Under the law, a municipality cannot prohibit residents from consuming or growing marijuana but can opt out of retail sales and consumption sites if they pass a law to opt out l before Dec. 31. A municipality that opts out can opt in at a later date.

Mayor Mike Lavorata said he wants to opt out but is looking to see how residents feel.

"I know what I want to do but I do represent the people," Lavorata said. "I suspect Lindenhurst is probably not going to be in favor of it."

State officials estimate marijuana will generate $350 million in annual revenue. There will be a 13% tax on retail sales, of which local municipalities get 3%. Lavorata said he estimates Lindenhurst would only end up seeing around $30,000.

"I don’t see it worth undoing all the good that we’ve done in the downtown," he said. "If I was going to get $1 million a year, maybe it would be a little harder for me to say no."

The poll consists of two questions, one on retail sites and the other on whether marijuana use should be allowed in public spaces, giving the example of restaurants, bars and parks.

"I want people to understand there are consequences to having this situation because if you do allow the dispensaries, how are you going to tell people not to smoke?" he said.

Some villages, such as Northport, have already separately banned marijuana smoking from public areas such as parks.

Lavorata had said he wanted to leave the online survey open for a month but last week a notice on the village’s Facebook page announced the poll would close on Aug. 20. Lavorata said his administration had made that decision but that he "told them to keep it up a little bit longer." On Friday afternoon the survey was not taking responses.

Lavorata called the current results, which are 50/50 split on retail sales, "a bit skewed." He said he could tell that older residents are not answering the survey because they’re not on Facebook. He said he will propose mailing surveys and possibly opting out but then putting a referendum on the March village election ballot.

"I think this is not a good survey," Lavorata said. "If it’s this close without the older folks, I feel with the older folks it’s going to get blown away."

By Denise M. Bonilla

denise.bonilla@newsday.comdenisebonilla

Denise Bonilla has worked at Newsday since 2003 and covers the Town of Babylon, including the villages of Lindenhurst and Amityville.