Katelyn Baker
Well-Known Member
A petition to ban commercial marijuana cultivation is set to go before the Calaveras County Board of Supervisors by the end of the month.
Rebecca Turner, registrar of voters, said if county supervisors call for a vote by Feb. 3, an all-mail election will take place May 2 to determine the fate of the industry. If they wait until after the date, a special election with open polls will be held on June 6.
Turner estimated an all-mail election would cost $80,000. If they had to open the polls, she said, it could cost $50,000 more.
County supervisors could also decide to accept the ban into law as-is once it is formally presented to the board on Jan. 24. They'll have up to 10 days to do this, Turner said.
The ban, if approved by voters or approved by county officials, would prohibit all types of commercial marijuana cultivation and all associated activities. Additionally, permits on dispensaries throughout the county will be allowed to expire and won't be renewed.
Bill McManus, chairperson for the committee to Ban Commercial Cultivation, said Thursday he was unsure whether supervisors would elect to approve the law as-is. It would require a three-fifths vote, he said.
"I don't know about trying to predict the future," McManus said. "I know some board members would like to. Some are unsure. I wouldn't want to insult them and try to predict that before it happens."
Bob Bowerman, an advocate for marijuana regulations, said an adoption would be political suicide.
"Well, if they look at the numbers, Measure D (last year's attempt to regulate the industry) didn't lose by much," Bowerman said. "Measure C (marijuana tax) won by a huge amount. It isn't that people don't want to regulate it. They just didn't like Measure D."
Ultimately, Bowerman thinks the ban will be defeated. He said he's heard instances where signers were mislead and were made to believe the petition was something it wasn't. When he designed a form for people to send to the elections department to have their names retracted, Bowerman said many people declined the opportunity.
They said they'll just vote "no" instead he said.
McManus denied the accusations.
"There was nothing misleading. Inside each petition was actual text of the initiative and the summary, which appeared on every page, was prepared by the county councils office," McManus said. "It's supposed to be accurate and unbiased."
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: County Leaders To Decide Fate Of Commercial Cannabis
Author: Jason Cowan
Contact: (209) 532-7151
Photo Credit: Sean Horton
Website: The Union Democrat
Rebecca Turner, registrar of voters, said if county supervisors call for a vote by Feb. 3, an all-mail election will take place May 2 to determine the fate of the industry. If they wait until after the date, a special election with open polls will be held on June 6.
Turner estimated an all-mail election would cost $80,000. If they had to open the polls, she said, it could cost $50,000 more.
County supervisors could also decide to accept the ban into law as-is once it is formally presented to the board on Jan. 24. They'll have up to 10 days to do this, Turner said.
The ban, if approved by voters or approved by county officials, would prohibit all types of commercial marijuana cultivation and all associated activities. Additionally, permits on dispensaries throughout the county will be allowed to expire and won't be renewed.
Bill McManus, chairperson for the committee to Ban Commercial Cultivation, said Thursday he was unsure whether supervisors would elect to approve the law as-is. It would require a three-fifths vote, he said.
"I don't know about trying to predict the future," McManus said. "I know some board members would like to. Some are unsure. I wouldn't want to insult them and try to predict that before it happens."
Bob Bowerman, an advocate for marijuana regulations, said an adoption would be political suicide.
"Well, if they look at the numbers, Measure D (last year's attempt to regulate the industry) didn't lose by much," Bowerman said. "Measure C (marijuana tax) won by a huge amount. It isn't that people don't want to regulate it. They just didn't like Measure D."
Ultimately, Bowerman thinks the ban will be defeated. He said he's heard instances where signers were mislead and were made to believe the petition was something it wasn't. When he designed a form for people to send to the elections department to have their names retracted, Bowerman said many people declined the opportunity.
They said they'll just vote "no" instead he said.
McManus denied the accusations.
"There was nothing misleading. Inside each petition was actual text of the initiative and the summary, which appeared on every page, was prepared by the county councils office," McManus said. "It's supposed to be accurate and unbiased."
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: County Leaders To Decide Fate Of Commercial Cannabis
Author: Jason Cowan
Contact: (209) 532-7151
Photo Credit: Sean Horton
Website: The Union Democrat
