Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/30630
6A – Daily News – Monday, May 2, 2011 Opinion Much ado about marijuana dispensaries D NEWSAILY RED BLUFF TEHAMACOUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U N T Y S I N C E 1 8 8 5 Greg Stevens, Publisher gstevens@redbluffdailynews.com Chip Thompson, Editor editor@redbluffdailynews.com Editorial policy The Daily News opinion is expressed in the editorial. The opinions expressed in columns, letters and cartoons are those of the authors and artists. Letter policy The Daily News welcomes let- ters from its readers on timely topics of public interest. All let- ters must be signed and pro- vide the writer’s home street address and home phone num- ber. Anonymous letters, open letters to others, pen names and petition-style letters will not be allowed. Letters should be typed and cannot exceed two double-spaced pages or 500 words. When several letters address the same issue, a cross section of those submit- ted will be considered for publi- cation. Letters will be edited. Letters are published at the discretion of the editor. Mission Statement We believe that a strong com- munity newspaper is essential to a strong community, creating citizens who are better informed and more involved. The Daily News will be the indispensible guide to life and living in Tehama County. We will be the premier provider of local news, information and advertising through our daily newspaper, online edition and other print and Internet vehi- cles. The Daily News will reflect and support the unique identities of Tehama County and its cities; record the history of its com- munities and their people and make a positive difference in the quality of life for the resi- dents and businesses of Tehama County. How to reach us Main office: 527-2151 Classified: 527-2151 Circulation: 527-2151 News tips: 527-2153 Sports: 527-2153 Obituaries: 527-2151 Photo: 527-2153 On the Web www.redbluffdailynews.com Fax Newsroom: 527-9251 Classified: 527-5774 Retail Adv.: 527-5774 Legal Adv.: 527-5774 Business Office: 527-3719 Address 545 Diamond Ave. Red Bluff, CA 96080, or P.O. Box 220 Red Bluff, CA 96080 Tehama County Supervisors are considering two ordinance options to ban or strictly regulate marijuana dispensaries by using local land-use authority since their temporary ban now in place expires on Sept. 14, 2011. After their third meeting on this topic with the county counsel and plan- ning director, including vocal members of the public, the super- visors will have a fourth study ses- sion on May 3rd to change some wording and get more input from the public to incorporate into the documents. Many citizens of the county and most attending meetings on this topic believe that the Supervi- sors are acting more out of defi- ance to California’s Proposition 215 than they are about legitimate concerns regarding marijuana dis- pensaries. It was nearly fifteen years ago on November 5, 1996, where by means of the initiative process, the voters of California passed Proposition 215 with 5,382,915 (55.6%) votes in favor and 4,301,960 (44.4%) against, although the voters of Tehama County overwhelmingly opposed this progressive legislation. At the most recent study ses- sion on this topic Supervisors Ron Warner and Dennis Garton reiter- ated comments expressing prefer- ences for an outright ban on the dispensaries. Warner said, "The state voted to approve legalizing marijuana as medicine, but the people of the county voted against it. I feel that my allegiance is to the people of this county, the peo- ple that put me in this seat." Such rhetoric is seditious by asserting that Tehama County can blithely select which state laws to enforce. Just because a majority of a coun- ty’s voters reject a statewide initia- tive does not give them authority to ignore the will of the people of California. This is not the first time our recalcitrant supervisors have acted to delay and defy the implementa- tion of state law but is certainly the most blatant, hurtful, and egre- gious as patients are denied access to their medication and are forced to criminally use illegal black mar- ket sources to satisfy their needs. Nowhere more than in Tehama County have county and city offi- cials waged a tougher battle against medical marijuana dispen- saries and so far they are winning with temporary bans in the county, Corning, and Red Bluff. Some of you may recall when the one collective that bucked city officials opened in Red Bluff, the Blue Toad, closed after three weeks when the city threatened to fine not just its founders, Lana Aguiar and her daughter, Ashley, but also their landlord for violating city codes. Just outside the city limits, Sheriff Parker cited Mike and Dawn Jenkins, own- ers of the Red Bluff Patient Collective, for 35 straight days before the county stepped up the pressure and asked a judge to order the collec- tive closed. In court on Dec. 3, 2009 the Jenkins- es' attorney, Keith Cope, said they'd agreed to shut down until the Tehama County supervisors fin- ish writing an ordinance to regulate local medical- marijuana dispensaries. They are still waiting. And most recently the Tehama Herbal Collective in Corning operated by Kathy and Ken Prather had received in excess of 100 citations before forced to close by court proceedings on November 10, 2010 after judge Schueler ruled in favor of city zon- ing ordinances that prohibit mari- juana dispensaries. Crackdown-minded authorities have won their battles. Outside the courtrooms and county offices, though, it's hard not to get a sense that they're on the losing side of a bigger cultural war. For this rea- son some supporters of marijuana Richard Mazzucchi Positive Point dispensaries wish the Supervisors would just go ahead with a ban rather than continue this needlessly con- tentious issue. This is not because the sup- porters are giving-up, instead they believe that a ban is both inevitable and illegal, and the sooner it is imposed the quicker it can be overturned in court to force the Supervisors’ hands. The kick-the-can delaying tactics employed by the super- visors and their legal counsel is reminiscent of their lengthy consid- eration of plans for a migrant housing project, where after over a year of reworks and hearings to gain Planning Department approval it was denied by a callous vote of the Supervisors faced with certain NIMBY opposition. Our county Supervisors now apparent- ly care more about pandering to conservative voters for re-election than complying with state laws to ease the suffering of patients need- ing medicinal marijuana. Richard Mazzucchi can be reached at living-green@att.net. Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Jim Nielsen (R) State Capitol Bldg., Room 6031 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 319-2002; Fax (916) 319-2102 STATE SENATOR — Doug LaMalfa (R) State Capitol Bldg., Room 3070 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 651-4004; Fax (916) 445-7750 GOVERNOR — Jerry Brown, State Capitol Bldg., Sacramento, CA 95814; (916) 445-2841; Fax (916) 558-3160; E-mail: gover- nor@governor.ca.gov. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE — Wally Herger (R), 2635 Forest Ave. Ste. 100, Chico, CA 95928; 893-8363. U.S.SENATORS — Dianne Feinstein (D), One Post Street, Suite 2450, San Francisco, CA 94104; (415) 393-0707. Fax (415) 393-0710. Barbara Boxer (D), 1700 Montgomery St., Suite 240, San Francisco, CA 94111; (415) 403-0100. Fax (202) 224- 0454. State, national nonsense on taxes, budget Commentary Having thoroughly debunked the idea that California’s deficit budget woes stem solely from declining revenues – I provided quite specific numbers from state and legislative sources showing a rather minor drop in tax receipts – let’s now turn our attention to what Governor Brown and Sacramento Democrats want to do about it. You’ve probably heard ad nauseam that our most reasonable majority party and governor are proposing a most reasonable combination of half spending cuts, and half tax increases. Do remember that we’ve been told that the most reasonable way to describe maintaining current federal tax rates (the Bush tax cuts in effect since 2001 and 2003), is giving "massive tax cuts to the super rich." In that spirit I most rea- sonably call extending our current temporary tax increases, as the Brown Democrats want, "massive tax hikes on everyone." Are we being hoodwinked by the Brown Democrats over any- thing? Remember, these are the people who wail endlessly over a now-$15.4 billion deficit. But remember, there are basically two ways that deficits occur: 1) A dramatic decline in rev- enue, which occurred a few years ago when income fell from $102 billion to $82 billion. That’s not the current problem because revenues have increased since then. 2) Appointed and elected appropriators have "wish lists," pet projects and constituencies that they are determined to fund – so determined that they shamelessly elevate negotiable, optional spend- ing priorities to nearly hysterical levels of rhetoric. They then demo- nize Republicans and voters unwilling to accede to their demands for more money. Califor- nia’s major print and broadcast media shamelessly act as public relations arms of, and stenogra- phers for, the Brown/Democrat narrative. Well, Senate Republican Leader Bob Dutton (Rancho Cuca- monga) cast serious doubt on the supposedly reasonable pronounce- ment by top Senate Democrat, Darrell Steinberg, that the Brown/Democrat budget "respon- sibly and honestly promises to put California’s fiscal crisis behind us once and for all." Steinberg’s assurances have been found news- worthy by the same media now providing us with polls predictably supporting the Brown/Democrat positions. PPIC surveys reliably found that most Californians think K-12 education will suffer from budget cuts and, worst of all, some teach- ers might be laid off. To no one’s surprise, PPIC found strong sup- port for raising taxes on the "wealthiest Californians." Interest- ingly, our K-12 education is cur- rently so marginal that students moving to Texas are routinely set back one or more grades. The little-reported analysis of Republican Dutton: "The simple truth is, the budget the Senate Democrats are putting up for a vote is not a balanced plan. It is just another shortsighted tax-and-spend scheme that relies on a $50 billion bailout from California taxpayers. It does nothing to fix the state’s budget crisis or put Californians back to work." Rather than half cuts/half taxes, it is: • $50 billion in total tax increases over 5 years. • $26 billion in extra spending over 3 years. • $14 billion in tax hikes this year • $7 billion in cuts • $7.5 billion in gim- micks More tax revenue for more spending. Further- more, there is no pension reform, no spending cap, no plan to grow busi- nesses and jobs, and no changes to government as usual. Finally, readers think- Don ing a new tone of civility had blossomed, might take note that Sacramen- to Democrats (according to the Sacramento Bee) are discussing targeting GOP districts with steep- er cuts if legislative Republican will not vote for a solution that includes taxes. "You don’t want to pay for government, well then, you get less of it," Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg said. Hardly alone, Steinberg is echoing State Treasurer Bill Lockyer, "who has suggested that an all-cuts state bud- get should focus on the districts of lawmakers who oppose putting $11 billion in tax extensions before voters." I find this sort of threatening scare tactic to be so reprehensible, so vindictive, so undemocratic, so disgustingly designed to pit Cali- fornian against Californian, that I can’t believe they are serious. Some Polson The way I see it of our local liberal/progressives may sympathize with such strong- arm tactics, even though their very neighbors would be hurt more than, say, residents of Santa Barbara, Berke- ley or Beverly Hills. Moreover, it goes against the supposed concern for the poor by Democrats (Republican districts tend to be rural and lower on the economic scale). Does the concept of "equal protection before the law" mean nothing to these hypocrites? Have they no shame? Correction: I stated that the $38 billion in cuts in the 2011 Repub- lican budget compro- mise was one day’s worth of interest on the national debt. It is actually about a week’s worth. Regarding my lack of com- ments online: I opened a Facebook account, made it as inaccessible as possible because I have little time or interest in virtual networking, and have found that my numerous replies and rebuttals to my critics online only show up on my com- puter, which is pointless. Most lib- eral so-called debate is talking points with no actual open-minded sharing of ideas, anyway. Emails are responded to; readers of my 2,000+ blog entries can go to the source articles to comment. Don Polson has called Red Bluff home since 1988. He can be reached by e-mail at donplsn@yahoo.com.