If you are of the opinion that Manteca Mayor Ben Cantu is the devil then you might want to give the devil his due.

In the span of two hours on Tuesday Cantu delivered on two very specific promises he made during his 2018 campaign. The first was switching Manteca to district council elections. The second was legalizing storefront marijuana sales in Manteca.

Cantu, unlike his predecessors, has never campaigned on fuzzy goals. As an example most candidates will say they support hiring more police officers and leave it at that. Cantu, however, would advocate specific goals such as four more officers dedicated to traffic enforcement.

Keep in mind Cantu has no ability to act unilaterally. The only action he can take is when it is part of a council majority. He does, however, sit in the proverbial bully pulpit given as mayor he runs council meetings and essentially does most of the talking.

It is why Cantu “owns” the decision to legalize store front cannabis sales although it required the votes of fellow council members Gary Singh and Charlie Halford to make it possible.

The two issues — council districts and retail pot sales — gave a clear insight into what drives Cantu that some dismiss as seemingly careening back and forth on a wide variety of local issues.

Cantu did not view the need for council districts through the tinted glasses of ethnic or racial injustice. Quite the contrary.

He has never traded on his ethnicity and comes across first and foremost as an American and a Mantecan. And even though he was only the fourth Hispanic in the 103-year history of Manteca to gain election to the City Council — the first was Wayne Flores followed by Vince Hernandez — he has never viewed district elections as a panacea for elevating more Hispanics to elected office.

Cantu from when he first raised the issue during his unsuccessful 2016 race for a council seat saw it as a way for more effective representation of neighborhoods.

He is right in his assertion the biggest concerns in Manteca are growth-related and socio-economically based and not race.

Cantu and the council’s other Hispanic, Jose Nuño, reflects the values and concerns of a struggling middle class raising families just like Flores and Hernandez before them.

None of this is to imply racism doesn’t exist in Manteca. It is simply not prevalent or the overriding issue.

It is why the “Hispanic” district with 52 percent of its population identifying as Latino that was carved out in central Manteca will likely not be electing anyone Hispanic anytime soon. It is more working class than middle class with anecdotal evidence there are more immigrants and first generation residents that are more plugged into raising families than community involvement. Neither Cantu nor Nuño reside within the new District 3.

As for marijuana sales, Cantu — in his own words — “has never used it and never will”.

Cantu viewed marijuana sales as a legal business under California law. A business, if you will, that law-abiding Manteca residents were driving to nearby jurisdictions such as Modesto where it is legal and spending taxable dollars to help support that city’s municipal services.

In that aspect Cantu’s drive to remove roadblocks to marijuana dispensaries was no different than what happened on the watch of former Mayor Willie Weatherford to lure Costco to Manteca to stop taxable retail sales bleeding. In the case of marijuana sales, however, Manteca isn’t forgoing the collection of $1.8 million in sales tax as they did with Costco until such time the cost of the membership store to build here was recouped without interest. This time around the city will get some form of “community benefit” yet to be identified. In other words Manteca will receive more than just a one cent general sales tax plus a half cent public safety tax or every $1 transaction as well as money to cover regulatory and enforcement costs.

Cantu sees that as fulfilling his promise to generate more revenue to fund municipal services and amenities that he believes are lagging significantly.

Even so Cantu did himself no favors with essentially stating Tuesday that storefront marijuana sales are about the money.

Money, that Cantu reminds people, is needed for expanded municipal services and community amenities they need or clamor to have but aren’t exactly willing to go into ATM mode to fund. 

Assuming the three cannabis stores Manteca will allow generate $30 million in taxable sales annually in addition to covering a $750,000 plus tab for four more police department positions the city contends are needed to regulate and enforce cannabis sales rules, the city would realize $300,000 in general sales taxes and $150,000 in restricted public safety sales taxes yearly.

Cantu spoke what might aptly be described as “truths.”

But then so did those who opposed the move.

They opted not to deal in the sterile world of government regulations and finances.

Instead they argued against legalizing storefront retail sales in Manteca based on personal experience with cannabis that were damaging as well as sharing the trials and tribulations of those they are helping deal with addiction.

Perhaps no story was as poignant as the one shared by a HOPE Family Shelter volunteer. They have a no drug rule that means you must be marijuana free to reside in their housing and receive help. It’s not a one and done thing. If you fail the test you can apply again in the future.

Eighty percent of their applicants can’t stay off marijuana even for the 30 days it takes for it to clear one’s system in order to secure a roof over the heads of their families.

The youngest to test positive for marijuana? It was a 12-year-old child.

Opponents argued with limited success that just because marijuana’s legal, benefits many with medical and pain issues plus doesn’t affect every user adversely that Manteca shouldn’t allow it to join the proverbial butcher, baker, and candlestick maker on Main Street or occupy a strip mall storefront.

Making it more accessible in Manteca even in a legal manner for them was akin to encouraging adult bookstores to open in town.

They didn’t want to create a situation where it was literally “in the face” of youth who might walk by a dispensary even if the rules are so tightly enforced unless they have secured a medical marijuana card that they can’t enter until they’re 21.

The rejoinder the kids could see that and more on the Internet played right into the opposition’s arguments.

One pastor rhetorically asked “what’s next, prostitution?”

It’s a good question although it may not be as rhetorical as it was intended.

If the city’s track record at regulating massage parlors to prevent shenanigans that are not legal to occur on the premises for which Manteca has issued a business permit is any indication, the opposition is right in not to trust the promises made Tuesday.

 This column is the opinion of editor, Dennis Wyatt, and does not necessarily represent the opinions of The Bulletin or 209 Multimedia. He can be reached at dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com