Saratoga Springs, Lake George leaders differ on cannabis sales

The communities of Saratoga Springs and Lake George are taking opposite approaches to the new legal marijuana laws.

This is the tale of two resort communities. Saratoga Springs appears ready to allow sale and on-site consumption of cannabis, but Lake George is opting out.

Saratoga Springs has a lot to offer visitors, and soon one of those offerings will be legal adult-use cannabis.

The city council has no plans to opt out of the new law allowing cannabis dispensaries and on-site consumption licenses.

Michele Madigan, the city’s finance commissioner says that the potential for sales tax revenue can’t be ignored.

Meanwhile, just 28 miles to the north, both the village and town of Lake George have opted out. That means sales and on-site retail consumptions or lounges, won’t be allowed.

"We’re supposedly one of the top 10 family resorts in the country. We want to keep it that way. We get complaints on off-color t-shirts in windows of stores all the time. I don’t like to get those kind of complaints, and I can imagine what it would have been with cannabis in our particular community," said Lake George Mayor Bob Blais.

Learn more about why Saratoga Springs chose not to opt out, by watching the video of Mark Mulholland’s story.