Editing Houston, Alaska (section)

==Cannabis legalization==

In 2014, Alaska voters [[Cannabis in Alaska|approved]] the legalization of [[Cannabis (drug)|recreational marijuana]] and its retail sale. However, local governments were given the right to ban commercial grow operations or pot sales within city limits.<ref>{{Cite web |first=Laurel |last=Andrews |date=July 30, 2016 |title=Here's how many cannabis plants Alaskans can now legally possess at home |url=https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/2016/07/29/heres-how-many-cannabis-plants-alaskans-can-now-legally-possess-at-home/ |access-date=January 24, 2023 |website=Anchorage Daily News |language=en}}</ref> While [[Palmer, Alaska|Palmer]] and [[Wasilla, Alaska|Wasilla]] originally banned marijuana sales and grow operations, Houston attempted to bolster its city revenues by allowing marijuana commerce.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hollander |first=Zaz |date=April 16, 2016 |title=Struggling to get by, Houston declares itself open for cannabusiness |url=https://www.adn.com/cannabis-north/article/houston-has-no-problem-being-open-marijuana-business/2016/04/16/ |access-date=January 24, 2023 |website=Anchorage Daily News |language=en}}</ref> The mayor of Houston, Virgie Thompson, believed that cannabis excise and sales taxes could cover expenses for a new city police force.<ref>{{Cite web |first=Ellen |last=Lockyer |date=March 16, 2016 |title=Houston at the forefront of Mat-Su marijuana legislation |url=https://alaskapublic.org/2016/03/16/houston-at-the-forefront-of-mat-su-marijuana-legislation/ |access-date=January 24, 2023 |website=Alaska Public Media |language=en-US}}</ref>

Houston issued the first limited grow room license in the [[Matsu Valley]] to Lacey and [[Ron Bass (Entrepreneuer)|Ron Bass]] in 2016. In 2021, marijuana tax revenue alone comprised over 33% of Houston's total collected taxes.<ref>https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/Portals/4/pub/OSA/taxable%20reports/2021%20Alaska%20Taxable%20Report%20FINAL%20January%2025%20Errata.pdf?ver=2022-01-25-125017-950 {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}}</ref>