The potential of growing legally sanctioned marijuana is a mixed bag for our community. Yes, seemingly usable commercial space is going to be put to use, some more shekels will trickle down into the community and we’ll get a kilo of new party jokes. That said, recent history of legally sanctioned growing operations in Puget Sound has a back story of additional crime — some of it violent.

I can see the K2 site resembling a corrections facility, with military grade razor wire fencing, high-intensity spotlights and armed private guards patrolling the area 24-7. And there will be some spillover crime. Do we really want to invite that here?

If enough of us want to make a deal with the devil, I’d like to suggest a green-tinged lining. Just like we have a legally defined cemetery district, airport district and a park district, I believe we should create a marijuana farming district with a firm set of environmental and security requirements along with an oversight board. In addition, I believe Vashon should assess a business and occupations tax of some sort on gross profits of the operation. A certain percentage of the collected tax should then go to the Vashon School District.

Something more than crime, agent commissions and THC needs to come out of this operation.

— Michael Elenko