Mayor Pabon-Alvarado
Vice Mayor Xavier
Councilmember Pineda
Councilmember Ponce
Councilmember Cruz
City of San Pablo
13831 San Pablo Avenue
San Pablo, CA 94806
Re: Community Support for a Responsible Cannabis Dispensary in San Pablo.
Dear Mayor Pabon-Alvarado, Vice Mayor and Members of the San Pablo City Council, I am writing as a local community member in favor of responsible economic development in San Pablo to express our support for approving a cannabis dispensary in the City of San Pablo.
In 2016, more than 60% of San Pablo voters supported Proposition 64, which legalized adult- use cannabis in California. That vote reflected a clear recognition that cannabis should be brought into a community-benefiting framework.
At a time when many working families are struggling with the cost of living, San Pablo is already welcoming union businesses like this, such as another union dispensary, Embarc, that was just recently approved by the City Council in April. Thank you so much for that.
Responsible dispensaries bring strong safety and security standards. Licensed cannabis businesses operate under strict state and local regulations, including security plans, surveillance, age verification, inventory tracking, and compliance requirements. A regulated dispensary is far safer and more accountable than the unregulated cannabis market.
We are confident that this project will help strengthen the City’s tax base as it has proven to be a great benefit to surrounding Cities, Counties, and to the State of California, as each dispensary pays three separate taxes; a City tax, County tax, and State tax with each transaction.
Cannabis businesses can generate new local revenue that can support essential City services, including public safety, youth programs, parks, street improvements, code enforcement, and other community priorities. San Pablo should not miss the opportunity to capture responsible revenue that can be reinvested directly into the community.
We also believe STIIIZY has the potential to be a strong community partner in San Pablo.
STIIIZY has already done this in multiple communities in the East Bay, including the cities of El Cerrito, Oakland, Concord, and Pacheco just to name a few.
Approving a responsible cannabis dispensary is consistent with the will of San Pablo voters, supports good union jobs, strengthens local revenue, and brings cannabis sales into a safe and regulated environment and is federally legal under current Schedule lll laws with the physicians signed prescription. Click on link below to view the WhiteHouse Bill on Schedule lll, and the patient / Dr. privacy protection, along with the list of reasons a patient can still choose medicinal cannabis as a medical plan with their physicians prescription.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/12/increasing-medical-marijuana-and- cannabidiol-research/
For these reasons, I respectfully urge the San Pablo City Council to please support this project and help save lives and to successfully move it forward.
Much appreciation,
Nelsy Batista
UFCW5 Union member
Rep of Stiiizy in Alameda, CA
[email protected]
341-258-9388