Laura Wilkinson Sinton owns multiple marijuana businesses, attempted to open pot shops in the cities of Chula Vista and National City, and then sued those cities for rejecting her application. But you wouldn’t know any of this background by looking at Wilkinson Sinton’s campaign website or public disclosure forms.
A decade ago, Wilkinson Sinton was living in Oregon, filming infomercials for products like tape to keep potato chips fresh. Since then, she’s transformed herself into a marijuana industry business executive, and a vocal advocate for expanding commercial cannabis activity in San Diego County.
Wilkinson Sinton moved to California in 2015, seeking to capitalize on Proposition 64’s legalization of marijuana. She publicly stated “When Prop 64 passed in California, ‘I am there!’”
Her interest in the cannabis industry went beyond mere advocacy. She gained influence and power, holding positions of influence with a national marijuana lobbying organization and becoming enmeshed in the industry. Eventually she attempted to open her own pot shops in the San Diego County.
However, her past and lack of transparency raises concerns about her true motivations for office.
Despite Coronado’s ban on marijuana shops, Wilkinson Sinton’s political ambitions suggest a clear alignment with her business interests. At the 2022 Voice of San Diego event, Politifest, she hinted at her broader political goals, which many speculate are driven by her desire to expand marijuana retail locations in the area. While she now claims that her involvement in the cannabis industry was motivated by family health concerns, there are public YouTube videos where she openly discusses the financial advantages of the business. Her contradictory statements have raised questions about her honesty and transparency.
Furthermore, Wilkinson Sinton has been embroiled in multiple lawsuits, challenging local governments to loosen restrictions on cannabis retailers. In one ongoing case, she is suing Chula Vista for $14 million over their cannabis licensing rules after rejecting her company, Caligrown’s application to open a dispensary. She has a similar lawsuit pending against National City, one of the poorest areas in San Diego County, on behalf of Cali Mota LLC, another marijuana business she owns. These lawsuits suggest a pattern of aggressive legal action aimed at forcing cities to open marijuana shops, regardless of local laws and community opposition.
Wilkinson Sinton’s campaign has conveniently avoided discussing her deep ties to the marijuana industry. She even failed to disclose her business interests in cannabis on state forms, raising further concerns about her commitment to transparency.
Voters in Coronado may find it surprising that, despite years of owning businesses deeply involved in the cannabis industry, she chose to represent herself on the election ballot as a “nonprofit executive.”
Beyond her pot shop ambitions, her policy positions have sparked controversy. She has voiced support for increasing taxes, particularly targeting homeowners who rent their properties or own second homes in Coronado. At a recent City Council candidate forum, Wilkinson Sinton suggested a new vacancy tax on Coronado property owners should be considered to fund low-income housing. Many residents fear a new tax could damage the local real estate market.
Wilkinson Sinton’s candidacy is raising concerns; her involvement in an industry linked to increased crime, her lawsuits to expand marijuana businesses, and her tax policies are all raising questions among voters.
Additionally, Wilkinson Sinton was recently caught falsely claiming to be a Board Member of the beloved local non-profit, Emerald Keepers. On City applications and her LinkedIn profile, Laura Wilkinson Sinton claimed to be a Board Member of the environmental group, but according to a statement from the organization, she rarely even volunteered.
In community forums, Laura Wilkinson Sinton will often boast about “representing dozens of nonprofits” on the Tijuana sewage issue. Yet when several of the nonprofits were asked about Wilkinson Sinton’s involvement, many have never heard of her, let alone does she represent them.
Many in the Coronado community are wondering if Laura isn’t being transparent about her past, howcan voters trust her with their future?
