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“Pot Luck”: Santa Ana’s Monopoly on Licensed Retail Adult-Use Cannabis in Orange County <br /> <br />2020-2021 Orange County Grand Jury Page 8 <br /> <br />F1. There is no clearly identifiable accounting of where all the Enforcement Services money <br />received from Retail Adult-Use Cannabis licensing in accordance with Santa Ana <br />Municipal Ordinance number NS-2959, section 13-203 was spent. <br />F2. The legalization of Retail Adult-Use Cannabis by the City of Santa Ana and the resulting <br />increase in city revenue have allowed the city to significantly expand its youth services <br />programs. <br />F3. There are multiple departments within the City of Santa Ana responsible for various aspects <br />of Retail Adult-Use Cannabis oversight. The decentralized nature of the oversight within <br />the City makes information difficult to obtain. <br />F4. The number of unlicensed cannabis dispensaries in Santa Ana has significantly declined <br />since the business licensing of Retail Adult-Use Cannabis dispensaries. <br />F5. The Orange County Grand Jury did not receive evidence of an increase in crime as a result <br />of the licensing of Retail Adult-Use Cannabis dispensaries. <br />F6. The Cannabis Community Benefits Program motivates local dispensaries to contribute <br />funds and/or staff volunteer hours for the benefit of the City of Santa Ana. <br />RECOMMENDATIONS <br />In accordance with California Penal Code Sections 933 and 933.05, the 2020-21 Grand Jury <br />requires responses from each agency affected by the recommendations presented in this section. <br />The responses are to be submitted to the Presiding Judge of the Superior Court. <br />Based on its investigation described herein, the 2020-21 Orange County Grand Jury makes the <br />following recommendations: <br /> R1. The Orange County Grand Jury recommends that the Santa Ana City Council require an <br />annual report specifically detailing all Retail Adult-Use Cannabis money spent each <br />fiscal year. This report should be presented to the Santa Ana City Council and made <br />public. This should be completed by December 31, 2021, for fiscal year 2020-21, and by <br />September 30 following each fiscal year thereafter. (F1) <br />R2. The Orange County Grand Jury recommends that the City of Santa Ana designate an <br />individual to oversee and provide centralized coordination of Retail Adult-Use Cannabis <br />activity commencing January 1, 2022. (F3) <br />R3. The Orange County Grand Jury recommends that the City of Santa Ana create a process <br />to report to the Santa Ana City Council and the residents of Santa Ana detailed <br />information about the participation of Retail Adult-Use Cannabis dispensaries in the <br />Community Benefits Program by December 31, 2021 and yearly thereafter. (F6)