Two more marijuana shops will open soon in De Beque. That's good for it residents, but not for the reason you think.

The town of De Beque, located between Parachute and Palisade will welcome two more cannabis stores this holiday season. And the sales tax money is a welcome gift.

De Beque Town Administrator Lance Stewart stated

"that if it wasn't for the marijuana business, there would be no business."

The current marijuana shops contribute around $390,000 of the town's annual revenue last year and have already exceeded $413,000 this year. That is about one-third of the total revenue stream for the town.

$413,000 in additional revenue for a town of only 500. This, to me, again is a prime example of what Grand Junction is missing out on. Why are we pushing our own residents out of town to spend their money, when we need it here? Is it a good thing that De Beque is making out like it is from these stores? Absolutely. But it sure seems like this pie is way big enough for more people to stick its fingers into.

Let's keep the money here in Grand Junction. Our schools need it, our roads need it. How much longer are we going to keep our heads in the sand and not take advantage of this?

It's funny, I have never even smoked or ingested any type of marijuana. It is not about that. I want the money to stay here.

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