Latest news with #businesslicense
CBS News
22-05-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Lack of funding to develop has some cannabis business owners stuck
Imagine paying $40,000 a year for a business license, yet having a company that can barely make any money. That is the reality facing some cannabis business operators. Ambrose Jackson, chief executive officer of The 1937 Group, walked CBS News Chicago through his cannabis craft grow facility in west suburban Broadview. He said it has not yet been built out because he has been waiting three and a half years for the funding to develop it. "Forty thousand square feet," Jackson said, "I mean, you see it." Jackson said a lack of state funding, grants, and what he calls burdensome regulations had halted the buildout. "We were required to gain control of a facility before we even applied for a license, not knowing whether or not we would be awarded a craft grow license," Jackson said. Jackson pays a total of $50,000 a month for property tax, insurance, and his lease. "Expecting that I would be able to get this building up and running," said Jackson, "expecting that I would have funding and low-interest grants provided by the state." But Jackson said that didn't happen, so he had to pivot. His company sells cannabis flower — pre-rolls — and manufactures vape devices. "Primarily, our biggest seller here is called our Turk Kings device," Jackson said, "so create our formulation here." The 1937 Group also makes edibles. "Specifically, we make our Kush League Chew edibles," Jackson said. "We make our potly infused honey." Jackson said his products are sold in dispensaries throughout the state of Illinois. After three and a half years, he's finally making a profit. "It is extremely difficult, and we do feel like our legislators, to a degree, have abandoned us," Jackson said. "We haven't had any reprieve, any changes that have positively affected our ability to thrive in our industry since licenses were awarded five years ago." Jackson, who is also the co-founder of the Black Cannabis Operators — a coalition group of owners in the cannabis industry — reached out to Illinois state Rep. La Shawn K. Ford (D-Chicago) for help. "I am listening to their concerns," Ford said. Ford said he is introducing the Cannabis Omnibus Bill in the state House, which would ease the burdens of struggling cannabis business operators. The bill in particular would waive the $40,000 licensing fee, Ford said. Ford says the bill will be filed this week with the goal of voting on it by May 31.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How we got here: Ledger-Enquirer's reporting on the Columbus finance investigation
Stories by Columbus Ledger-Enquirer journalists, with AI summarization A Columbus finance investigation revealed deep conflicts over how much revenue the city failed to collect. Initial audits cited a shortfall as high as $45 million, while city leaders maintained it was closer to $2.5 million. Reports found the occupational tax office overwhelmed by stacks of unprocessed checks, backlogged license applications, and shifting estimates from both the internal auditor and outside firms such as Troutman Pepper. Recent updates showed the city had improved collection processes, but concerns and a criminal investigation remain unfinished, with charges filed against some staff and ongoing questions about possible cover-ups. Amid continued distrust, options like outsourcing the business license department and expanding automation are under consideration to prevent similar problems in the future. Councilors said the city business license office has fallen behind in collecting license fees by failing to send out renewal notices, so some businesses have not renewed licenses for years. | Published October 30, 2023 | Read Full Story by Tim Chitwood An auditor says Columbus is $45.1 million behind on collecting business license taxes. The finance director says it's only $2.5 million. | Published December 5, 2023 | Read Full Story by Tim Chitwood One councilor said the city by law cannot collect on delinquent business license accounts if the debt's more than four years old. 'It's gone. You can't get that money back,' he said. | Published January 24, 2024 | Read Full Story by Tim Chitwood The mayor says probe is about a private citizen erroneously getting personal information on a business the city manager owned. But some city workers fear it's about outing whistleblowers. | Published January 26, 2024 | Read Full Story by Tim Chitwood The letter obtained by the Ledger-Enquirer doesn't list the names of the CCG employees but identifies three of the employees by title. | Published August 16, 2024 | Read Full Story by Kelby Hutchison An attorney representing Reather Hollowell, the Columbus Consolidated Government's human resources director, released a statement Wednesday saying she has no involvement in the possible wrongdoing. | Published August 21, 2024 | Read Full Story by Kelby Hutchison Columbus Council still has concerns about the finance department after going through a follow-up report on the revenue division. | Published November 26, 2024 | Read Full Story by Brittany McGee District Attorney of the Towaliga Judicial Circuit Jonathan Adams provides an update to the criminal investigation into the Columbus Finance Department. | Published February 12, 2025 | Read Full Story by Brittany McGee An investigative document provided to the Ledger-Enquirer shows additional charges have been recommended for four city employees. | Published May 15, 2025 | Read Full Story by Brittany McGee Kelby Hutchison The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.
