PALMER — The Matanuska-Susitna Borough's moratorium on marijuana businesses still stands.
The borough assembly on Tuesday night voted unanimously to override Mayor Vern Halter's veto of the moratorium.
The moratorium lasts until Oct. 19. Borough residents will vote on a commercial cannabis ban on the Oct. 4 ballot. A citizen's initiative asks voters if they want to block marijuana businesses in the borough outside cities.
Halter issued the veto Monday. He said during Tuesday evening's meeting that he didn't think the moratorium was necessary given the slow progress of the marijuana licensing process, which makes it unlikely many businesses will be up and running before the election. He repeated his belief the state should regulate the marijuana industry outside of cities, with the borough simply collecting taxes.
The assembly on Tuesday also removed a provision of the moratorium that provided an earlier, August sunset date for cultivation facilities.