Hashish fee affected by critical case of the munchies

Corruption. Interior turmoil. Lack of accountability. Hackery. Now it seems staffers on the beleaguered Hashish Management Fee are getting a critical case of the munchies.

The Herald has been spotlighting the free-spending methods of Massachusetts state authorities over the previous couple of weeks, and data present the comparatively new CCC is working like every other state company in Massachusetts.

The CCC paid for tens of 1000’s of {dollars} in journey, meals and catering expenditures over the past yr, together with quick meals joints like Jimmy John’s and Panera, in keeping with data obtained from the Herald’s public data request.

The troubled CCC – in control of creating and imposing rules over the pot trade – was additionally spotlighted in a damning report from the state Auditor final week, displaying mismanagement, violation of state rules and procedural inequities.

It could be time for Massachusetts to rethink its complete hashish trade regulation.

A number of years after legalizing leisure hashish, what’s Massachusetts left with apart from a whole lot of hundreds of thousands in tax income and a lingering air of pot on the streets that wasn’t there earlier than?

Talking of odors, the CCC shelled out $2,530 to a cigar retailer on “lab gear used for enforcement,” in keeping with the CCC, $893 to Panera, $844 to Vincent’s Pizza and a complete of almost $300 to Jimmy John’s sub retailer, in keeping with data.

The company additionally paid for separate fees of $3,304 and $2,926 from Luciano’s Banquet for “workers growth occasions,” in keeping with a CCC spokesman.

The CCC additionally paid $2,369 to hire out The Vault Operate Corridor in Lawrence, in keeping with a document of fees on the company’s “P-card.” The corridor was utilized by the Fee’s Fairness Programming and Neighborhood Outreach Growth Division for “constituent coaching,” in keeping with a CCC spokesperson.

“Steeped in magnificence and appeal, The Vault’s lavish interiors evoke a way of timeless magnificence,” the Vault’s web site says. “From meticulously crafted particulars to bespoke furnishings, each component has been curated to offer an environment of refined opulence.”

Is that this what the legislation supposed?

“The Fee workout routines tight fiscal controls over P-Card use and purchases usually,” a Fee spokesperson stated. “Fee coverage requires buy requests to be accepted by an worker’s supervisor and the Chief Monetary and Accounting Officer. All purchases above $10,000 should be accepted by the chief director.”

Below state legislation, the CCC will get its annual finances from the Marijuana Regulation Fund, which generates income from licensing charges, fines and tax income.

However Auditor Diana DiZoglio’s audit revealed a critical sample of mismanagement.

“Our audit recognized plenty of points that undermine and negatively impression the Hashish Management Fee’s mission to equitably and successfully oversee the hashish trade in Massachusetts,” DiZoglio stated.

And the CCC oversees critical cash. Along with the hundreds of thousands in gross sales, the fee has been shelling out $500,000 “social fairness” grants, like one to a Haverhill dispensary just lately.

However the hashish trade has been struggling recently, with too many pot retailers opening and never sufficient regulation to maintain up.

As well as, the legalization of marijuana has opened up an entire new stage of corruption in Massachusetts state authorities.

Sheriff Steve Tompkins was indicted just lately for allegedly making an attempt to extort a Boston hashish govt by demanding a $50,000 “pre-equity curiosity” within the hashish firm proper earlier than it went public with an IPO, in keeping with U.S. Lawyer Leah Foley’s workplace.

But, the pot board simply retains rolling.