Katelyn Baker
Well-Known Member
A $25,000 contribution from a Colorado-based business to a political action committee advocating for legal recreational pot sales in Albany has some opponents chafing.
The PAC, called "Keep Albany Open for Business," wants to sway Albany and Linn County voters, who will decide in November whether to legalize recreational pot use. Voters in 2014 narrowly passed the measure, but forces within city and county government opposed to the drug have successfully put the issue back on the ballot.
Now, the PAC, formed by Albany city councilors Dick Olsen and Ray Kopczynski, wants to affect the outcome in November, arguing, as the name implies, that recreational pot is good for Albany's bottom line.
To date, the PAC has raised $27,288.37. But the $25,000 out-of-state donation, says councilor Rich Kellum, is "at its very best, unseemly." He said the outside donation is one more example of the recreational pot lobby in Albany refusing to live by the rules.
It is in fact legal for a PAC to accept out-of-state donations, and there is no limit on the amount. While Kellum acknowledges this fact, he maintains the practice is not in the spirit of the law.
"The spirit of the law says you have to have knowledge of who the donor is, where the donor is, and what their interest is," said Kellum.
According the Oregon Secretary of State, the donation came from a Boulder, Colo., medical and recreational marijuana dispensary called The Genetic Locker, but Kellum nonetheless questions the source of the donation.
"I don't know if it's a genuine person sending the money, or if it's an organization wanting to hide it," he said, suggesting the donation could be a move to "launder" cash earned through marijuana sales, which under Federal law still may not be deposited to a federally insured bank.
PAC consultant Jake Weigler dismissed the claim, saying the donation only reinforces the support legal pot has in the region.
"It seems like an incredibly inefficient way to (launder cash)," he said. "Especially since the funds are registered with the Secretary of State."
Weigler said the donation indicates the emergence of a regional market for legal marijuana. He and others believe Albany and Linn County could be locking themselves out of that market.
"We've heard from a bunch of folks who are very interested in expanding their operations," he said. "We see this as a huge economic opportunity."
Weigler said legal recreational pot brings a suite of other economic drivers along with it. While growers, wholesalers, retailers, concentrate producers and testing facilities are subjects of pending Oregon Liquor Control Commission regulations, Weigler cites construction, security and accounting as other fields that stand to benefit.
Kellum and other opponents do not embrace Weigler's assertion, but instead maintain the drug is still illegal on a federal level, saying pot advocates routinely bend the laws and circumvent the rules to win their case.
"There has been a history with the marijuana people of being less than open," he said.
Kellum also cited the PAC's three campaign signs, on display in Albany, that he says are out of compliance with city code because they are too big. In a September 23 email, Kellum and Mayor Sharon Konopa asked Public Works Engineering and Community Development Director Jeff Blaine for advice, arguing the signs were not only too big, but also a violation because they conveyed a political message at a place of business.
"If they are attempting to use Freedom of Speech in this case, then the majority of our sign code is of no use," wrote Konopa. "The sign pole can be used, but it should be the political sign size of 8 sq feet in commercial zones."
Blaine responded, saying he cannot consider the content of the sign, but rather the size limitation for the particular zone.
"Staff is not supposed to make decisions regarding signs based on their content, which would have been the case had I requested to review the content, determined that it was political in nature, and required the sign size be reduced," he wrote. "Rather, I simply evaluated the request based on the size of the sign and the fact that there was an existing sign pole with no other signs on it." Blaine also wrote the signs were below the maximum 160 square feet sign size permitted in the zone.
"It's a political sign," Kellum maintained, complaining that the PAC was bending the rules "just like they do with other things."
Asked whether the large Trump for President political signs were out of compliance as well, Kellum said they were.
"The difference is that the Trump signs are out of compliance, while with the other signs, they're trying to pull something," he said. "it's just sneaking around the edges."
While Weigler did not comment of the size and placement of the PAC signs, he argued that a regional market for recreational pot is forming, and the donation as well as the efforts of the PAC are just part of the process.
"There's a number of people from the country and the region who are very interested in the cannabis industry in Oregon," he said. "So there's a big interest in helping."
The Genetic Locker declined to answer questions concerning its donation.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Legal Pot Advocates Accused Of Bending The Rules
Author: Neil Zawicki
Contact: 541-926-2211
Photo Credit: Mark Ylen
Website: Albany Democrat-Herald
The PAC, called "Keep Albany Open for Business," wants to sway Albany and Linn County voters, who will decide in November whether to legalize recreational pot use. Voters in 2014 narrowly passed the measure, but forces within city and county government opposed to the drug have successfully put the issue back on the ballot.
Now, the PAC, formed by Albany city councilors Dick Olsen and Ray Kopczynski, wants to affect the outcome in November, arguing, as the name implies, that recreational pot is good for Albany's bottom line.
To date, the PAC has raised $27,288.37. But the $25,000 out-of-state donation, says councilor Rich Kellum, is "at its very best, unseemly." He said the outside donation is one more example of the recreational pot lobby in Albany refusing to live by the rules.
It is in fact legal for a PAC to accept out-of-state donations, and there is no limit on the amount. While Kellum acknowledges this fact, he maintains the practice is not in the spirit of the law.
"The spirit of the law says you have to have knowledge of who the donor is, where the donor is, and what their interest is," said Kellum.
According the Oregon Secretary of State, the donation came from a Boulder, Colo., medical and recreational marijuana dispensary called The Genetic Locker, but Kellum nonetheless questions the source of the donation.
"I don't know if it's a genuine person sending the money, or if it's an organization wanting to hide it," he said, suggesting the donation could be a move to "launder" cash earned through marijuana sales, which under Federal law still may not be deposited to a federally insured bank.
PAC consultant Jake Weigler dismissed the claim, saying the donation only reinforces the support legal pot has in the region.
"It seems like an incredibly inefficient way to (launder cash)," he said. "Especially since the funds are registered with the Secretary of State."
Weigler said the donation indicates the emergence of a regional market for legal marijuana. He and others believe Albany and Linn County could be locking themselves out of that market.
"We've heard from a bunch of folks who are very interested in expanding their operations," he said. "We see this as a huge economic opportunity."
Weigler said legal recreational pot brings a suite of other economic drivers along with it. While growers, wholesalers, retailers, concentrate producers and testing facilities are subjects of pending Oregon Liquor Control Commission regulations, Weigler cites construction, security and accounting as other fields that stand to benefit.
Kellum and other opponents do not embrace Weigler's assertion, but instead maintain the drug is still illegal on a federal level, saying pot advocates routinely bend the laws and circumvent the rules to win their case.
"There has been a history with the marijuana people of being less than open," he said.
Kellum also cited the PAC's three campaign signs, on display in Albany, that he says are out of compliance with city code because they are too big. In a September 23 email, Kellum and Mayor Sharon Konopa asked Public Works Engineering and Community Development Director Jeff Blaine for advice, arguing the signs were not only too big, but also a violation because they conveyed a political message at a place of business.
"If they are attempting to use Freedom of Speech in this case, then the majority of our sign code is of no use," wrote Konopa. "The sign pole can be used, but it should be the political sign size of 8 sq feet in commercial zones."
Blaine responded, saying he cannot consider the content of the sign, but rather the size limitation for the particular zone.
"Staff is not supposed to make decisions regarding signs based on their content, which would have been the case had I requested to review the content, determined that it was political in nature, and required the sign size be reduced," he wrote. "Rather, I simply evaluated the request based on the size of the sign and the fact that there was an existing sign pole with no other signs on it." Blaine also wrote the signs were below the maximum 160 square feet sign size permitted in the zone.
"It's a political sign," Kellum maintained, complaining that the PAC was bending the rules "just like they do with other things."
Asked whether the large Trump for President political signs were out of compliance as well, Kellum said they were.
"The difference is that the Trump signs are out of compliance, while with the other signs, they're trying to pull something," he said. "it's just sneaking around the edges."
While Weigler did not comment of the size and placement of the PAC signs, he argued that a regional market for recreational pot is forming, and the donation as well as the efforts of the PAC are just part of the process.
"There's a number of people from the country and the region who are very interested in the cannabis industry in Oregon," he said. "So there's a big interest in helping."
The Genetic Locker declined to answer questions concerning its donation.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Legal Pot Advocates Accused Of Bending The Rules
Author: Neil Zawicki
Contact: 541-926-2211
Photo Credit: Mark Ylen
Website: Albany Democrat-Herald
