In the cannabis industry, trying to raise capital through traditional borrowing is difficult, in part because most commercial banks avoid lending money for marijuana businesses.
The problem is that recreational sales account for the vast majority of revenue for stores, and since medical marijuana is not taxed, revenues to the state and the municipalities that host the stores have dried up during the shutdown.
When selectboard Chair Steve Bannon opened the floor to comments from the audience, most seemed to agree that, in addition to placing restrictions on the stores, the larger question remains about what kind of image the tourism-minded town wants to project.
