Steve Hughes is reporting for the Times Union. a new proposal by the Albany Common Council calls for revenues from recreational cannabis sales in the city to be used as reparations for communities of color harmed by the war on drugs. Data shows that black and brown residents of Albany have long been disproportionately impacted by the enforcement of laws against the sale and use of marijuana. Sixth Ward Councilmember Gabriella Romero and Tenth Ward Councilmember Owusu Anane want to create a nine-member commission to formulate a series of recommendations for the city and the council to consider as the retail sale of cannabis is expected to start in the near future. The recommendations would advise who should receive compensation, how much they should receive and what form the compensation would take, but those recommendations would not be legally binding. The ordinance is modeled on a similar proposal at the state level that has already passed the Assembly. “I’m hoping to go one step further,” Romero said. “Why not have Albany at the forefront?” The commission would also be assigned to study federal, state and local policies that criminalized and disproportionately impacted residents in communities of color who were involved in the sale of marijuana. Anane said he viewed the future revenues as a way for the city to change the economics of its poorest neighborhoods. “I think for this city to move forward we have a duty to lift people out of poverty,” he said. The commission would submit a report within six months of its creation. The members would not be compensated for their work. The city is in the process of establishing a separate commission of city residents charged with creating cannabis regulations in the city, including rules for dispensaries and on-site consumption. The deadline to apply for the committee was June 15; the city has not yet announced who is on the commission. Read the full story in the Times Union.