San Jose Mercury News backs Brown for governor

 Government, Marijuana Law, Media, Opinion
Oct 102010
 

Bud’s note: Today’s must-read is this delightfully candid San Jose Mercury News editorial endorsing Jerry Brown for governor. The writer doesn’t pull punches, and neither does Jerry. Despite his No-on-19 stance, a political necessity this election cycle, Brown as attorney general developed new Prop. 215 guidelines for law enforcement. He’s earned the cannabis vote. ================== Jerry Brown offers California exactly what it needs in its next governor: a mature politician who can get things done in Sacramento and who brings good ideas, strong principles and a reputation for telling the truth. It’s popular in some [...]

San Joaquin Valley officials keep wary eye on Prop. 19

 Government, Legalization, Marijuana Law, Marijuana News
Oct 102010
 

Many California voters are high on a ballot initiative that would legalize recreational use of marijuana. Valley officials are not, George Hostetter writes in the Fresno Bee. They’re wary about problems that Proposition 19 might create — and uncertain how it would work. But even though the measure would become law the day after it passes, local officials are not drafting pot regulations until the voters are heard on Nov. 2. “There are a lot of questions about how [Prop. 19] would be put into practice,” says Visalia City Attorney Alex Peltzer. “They’re going to [...]

Governor signs SB 1449, making simple cannabis possession an infraction instead of misdemeanor

 Advocates, Government, Marijuana Law, Marijuana News
Oct 012010
 

Bud’s note: The newspapers are playing catch-up on this as they plow through the other bills on Arnold’s desk. This action alert comes from the fine folks at NORML; I’ll post more coverage as it becomes available. “Weed Wars” coverage from the Sacramento Bee “Radical” Russ Belville’s reaction in NORML’s Stash Blog San Jose Mercury News coverage Los Angeles Times coverage ========== Yesterday outgoing California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed Senate Bill 1449 — which reduces adult marijuana possession charges from a criminal misdemeanor to a civil infraction. NORML would like to thank the 2,500+ of [...]

Tax board takes a pass on Prop. 19 revenue estimate

 Business, Government, Legalization, Marijuana News
Sep 242010
 

The state Board of Equalization, which last year famously declared that legalizing marijuana could generate $1.4 billion in new tax revenues for California state coffers, has an updated analysis out for Proposition 19, the November ballot measure to legalize marijuana for recreational use. This time, the BOE says it is clueless on what legal weed can bring in, Peter Hecht reports in “Weed Wars.” Officials also said it may take them months – or years – to implement potentially needed systems for collecting new marijuana taxes that may result from Proposition 19. In its previous [...]

No consensus at Capitol hearing on Prop. 19

 Government, Legalization, Marijuana News
Sep 222010
 

A state Capitol hearing today on how Proposition 19 may affect the future universe of California produced such disparate views that Assemblyman Tom Ammiano pondered the potential outcomes as perhaps only he can. “A drug czar today could be on Dancing With the Stars tomorrow,” he said. It was a light moment in a otherwise serious discussion over how California and its local governments will be impacted if voters pass the initiative to legalize marijuana for recreational use, permit small residential cultivation and allow cities and counties to tax and regulate retail pot sales. On [...]

Humboldt DA backs legal pot, but not Prop. 19

 Advocates, Government, Legalization, Marijuana News
Sep 142010
 

Humboldt County District Attorney Paul Gallegos said he supports marijuana legalization, but is not endorsing Proposition 19. Gallegos’ name was among a list of more than 30 former and current law enforcement officials across the state to sign a letter released by Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) in support of legalization and Prop. 19 — the Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010. Retired Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Stephen Cobine and former Humboldt County Senior Deputy District Attorney Jeffrey Schwartz were also among those on the LEAP letter saying Prop. 19 can help [...]

State tax board planning for marijuana revenues

 Business, Government, Legalization, Marijuana News, Medical marijuana
Sep 102010
 

The State Board of Equalization already collects around $100 million per year in sales taxes from medical cannabis dispensaries in California. Now, the agency is laying the groundwork to collect an estimated $1.3 billion more, David Downs writes in the East Bay Express. Legalization Nation has learned that the State Board of Equalization has convened an internal task force of about a dozen staff to research and provide options for taxing recreational use of marijuana, should it become legal. Board spokesperson Anita Gore confirmed the task force had been visiting East Bay clubs to learn [...]

Medipot advocates push agenda in Marysville

 Advocates, Dispensaries, Government, Marijuana News, Ordinances
Sep 082010
 

Prompted by roughly 35 medical marijuana advocates — including one who used the public comment period to play a Native American tune on a flute made of bone — the Marysville City Council voted 3-1 Tuesday night to change future meetings so public comment will be near the end, rather than at the beginning. Tuesday’s public comment was allowed at the beginning and the end of the meeting as a one-time measure to accommodate the agenda and the crowd. Mayor Bill Harris voted against the proposed change, the Appeal-Democrat reports. Councilman Ben Wirtschafter was absent. [...]

Appeals court puts Shasta drug-testing policy on hold

 Courts, Government
Sep 042010
 

SACRAMENTO — In a ruling by California’s chief justice nominee, a state appeals court has barred a school district from drug testing all students in extracurricular activities such as choir, the school band and Future Farmers of America. The Shasta Union High School District in Northern California began the testing in 2008, saying the prospect of being disqualified from a favorite after-school activity would discourage youths from using drugs or alcohol. The district noted that the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2002 that random drug tests of all students in extracurricular programs did not violate [...]

State Senate bill hits cannabusiness with new taxes

 Business, Government, Marijuana News, Medical marijuana
Aug 302010
 

Montebello state Senator Ron Calderon is proposing a comprehensive “Cannabis Licensing Act” to regulate and tax multiple sectors of the medical marijuana industry, including pot stores, “growers, wholesalers, retailers, and transporters of cannabis.” California medical marijuana dispensaries currently produce up to $1.3 billion in transactions and up to $105 million in state sales taxes, according to estimates earlier this year by the state Board of Equalization. Calderon’s chief of staff, Rocky Rushing, said the senator introduced Senate Bill 1131 because he believes there are insufficient structures in place to ensure California collects taxes due on [...]

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