Marijuana Sales? Elmhurst Hopefuls Weigh In

ELMHURST, IL – Elmhurst's city candidates this week weighed in on the issue of permitting marijuana dispensaries in town.

In 2019, the state started allowing towns to decide whether they want such stores. Elmhurst said no.

In the 2021 election, Mayor Scott Levin said he was open to permitting dispensaries.

At a League of Women Voters forum this week, Elmhurst candidates were asked whether they would allow marijuana dispensaries.

"Absolutely not," said mayoral candidate Mark Mulliner, a former longtime alderman. "It's a lead-in drug to other drugs. I do not support the idea of cannabis in Elmhurst."

Levin said that when he went door to door in the 2021 campaign, residents were almost uniformly opposed to permitting video gambling in town. But he said they seemed willing to talk about dispensaries.

Since then, the mayor said, many more dispensaries in nearby towns have opened, likely outpacing demand. Elmhurst residents can get marijuana in most of the towns surrounding the city, he said.

"When I look at cannabis in the future, yes, but I don't see it for right now," Levin said.

Here's how alderman candidates addressed the issue:

Ward 2

• Incumbent Jacob Hill said he wanted to review the evidence, hear both sides and be open on the issue. He suggested the issue go to a citywide referendum.
• His opponent, Kevin Kirby, said he was opposed to dispensaries. He said the reason was that he did not think such businesses were the economic boon that many think it is.

Ward 4

• Mike Baker said marijuana dispensaries were an opportunity for the future, but not now. The increase in such stores in nearby suburbs, he said, would decrease the tax benefit for Elmhurst. In his campaign, Baker said no one has brought up dispensaries as something Elmhurst needs.
• Bobby Fontana said he opposed bringing a dispensary to downtown or other commercial hubs. But he said he was open to allowing one in other areas of town. "There is a sense of diminishing returns as so many of these dispensaries have popped up across the region," he said. He said he liked the idea of a referendum.

Ward 5

• Adam Park said he would not patronize a dispensary. But he said he was open to allowing one because of the tax benefit for Elmhurst. At the same time, he said he wondered whether "that ship has sailed" because of the number of such businesses in the area.
• Dan Virgil said he favored allowing people to make their own decisions on buying marijuana. He said he hasn't heard of issues with dispensaries in other towns. The industrial park, he said, would be a good site for one.