Paraminder Sahi has made it clear.

He believes the City of Manteca going through with its plan to award permits for up to three storefront marijuana businesses is a bad idea for the community.

Over the past several months Sahi — along with others he has encouraged to do so — has spoken out against legalized marijuana sales in Manteca during council meetings.

Sahi is a former Manteca planning commissioner and involved in various community groups.

Eleven months ago the council — with Dave Breitenbucher dissenting — approved the process to allow marijuana sales within city limits.

And while applicants for the three available permits are in the final stages of being vetted, the council still has the option not to issue any permits.

On Tuesday, Sahi and others again made remarks during the public comments section of the council meeting regarding their opposition to legalized cannabis sales in Manteca.

Mayor Gary Singh asked if city staff could meet with Sahi and others to explain the process in place for vetting applicants and share what safeguards the city is taking.

Staff indicated they would do so.

The points that Sahi and others have been making during the past months include:

*The message it sends to youth that the Family City is legalizing marijuana.

*Their belief that marijuana will be accessed by youth from a retail operation despite stringent procedures promised  by the city.

*Projected revenue estimates elsewhere have fallen significantly short and as such the smaller revenue stream may not be  worth the stepped up costs the city will incur and potential problems that may happen by having legal marijuana readily available in Manteca.

*Those adults wishing to do so can obtain marijuana that is highly regulated  for safety through state rules and oversight by simply driving to a nearby community.

*Legal retail marijuana operations haven’t made a dent in illegal — and unregulated — cannabis sales in other jurisdictions.

The city in the past has countered such arguments by noting:

*Marijuana for personal use by adults is legal in California.

*The city will still see a positive revenue flow to fund municipal services based on data that shows how much Manteca residents are spending at cannabis stores in Modesto and elsewhere.

*Residents have asked for the convenience of being able to purchase legal — and safely regulated marijuana — without leaving the city.

*The processes in place will make it impossible for a youth to buy marijuana at a storefront operation.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com