Pubdate: Thu, 19 Sep 2002
Source: Badger Herald (WI)
Copyright: 2002 Badger Herald
Contact: http://www.badgerherald.com/about/contact_staff.shtml
Website: http://www.badgerherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/711
Author: Shivan Gulati, News Writer

PROGRESSIVE DANE SEEKS TO LEGALIZE MARIJUANA

The Dane County Narcotics Task Force's practice of collecting a significant 
amount of its budget from auctioning the property of those they arrest has 
raised eyebrows among a local party intent on relaxing Madison's drug laws.

In the State of the City Drug Policy address held Aug. 20 by the 
Progressive Dane Party, the party stated that the Dane County Narcotics 
Task Force receives tens of thousands of dollars of its budget, including 
half its $44,000-per-year rent, from drug-related seizures of private 
property each year. The task force made 679 drug-related arrests and seized 
$763,000 in cash and drugs last year alone.

Stephanie Rearich, co-chairwoman of Progressive Dane and chairwoman of its 
Drug Policy Task Force, believes this presents a conflict of interest for 
the police.

"It's widely believed our present course of action runs on inertia," 
Rearick said. Rearick said she believes financial dependence on forfeitures 
is a "corrupting influence," greatly reducing the likelihood that the 
seeking of justice is the driving force behind enforcement of the law.

But according to the Dane County Narcotics Task Force, the effect of 
drug-related monetary profits on its budget is relatively low.

"Our annual budget far exceeds $700,000, and seizure money is never an 
issue in the budget," said Sgt. Dave McCaw of the Narcotics Task Force. "I 
can assure you that money is not our target, and we're not in the 
moneymaking business."

In the address, the Progressive Dane proposed that the Narcotics Task Force 
phase out acquiring money obtained from seizures: "We recommend that the 
Narcotics Task Force remove forfeiture money from its budget, that seizures 
only take place after an individual is convicted of a significant charge, 
and that forfeiture money be redirected toward treatment and prevention 
programs. In the long term, drug-related property forfeitures should be 
phased out altogether."

Mayor Sue Bauman has recently expressed interest in the Progressive Dane's 
views. Mayor Bauman recently declared the U.S. war on drugs a "failed 
strategy" and has challenged city and county agencies to look into the 
issue more closely.

"We were in the planning stages to put the conference together, and then 
9/11 happened," Bauman said, suggesting the city government became 
distracted from addressing the issue.

One firm supporter of the Progressive Dane's stance is Ald. Judy Olson, 
District 6, who wants users of medical marijuana to be able to grow their 
own plants within the city limits and is currently working with the 
Progressive Dane to develop such a proposal.

Many citizens have been vocal in their strong opposition to the Progressive 
Dane's report and its calls to decriminalize marijuana in Madison.

"When a cop came to answer one of our calls about a resident smoking 
marijuana, she said that the Madison Police Department can't give a 
citation to individuals using it for private use," said Britt Powell, a 
resident advisor at the Highlander private residence hall, who believes the 
Progressive Dane Party is fighting an uphill battle. "It seems like there's 
no solution, because even if it's happening in a room, it is still in a 
dorm setting, and it affects the rest of the community. What the 
Progressive Dane is trying to do is just going to make it worse."

The Progressive Dane would like to see the legalization of many currently 
illegal drugs in an effort to move away from the war-on-drugs mentality and 
toward a policy of controlled and regulated business, according to Rearick.

Richard Althouse of the Wisconsin Department of Corrections explained, 
"Rather than paying $25 for an ounce of pharmacy-grade cocaine, one instead 
pays $1000. $1200 for a kilo of cocaine in Colombia can ultimately produce 
almost $1,000,000 in money changing hands before the kilo is exhausted in 
the U.S."

Implementing a policy of government regulation in legal trade of now 
illegal drugs will eliminate scenarios like the one Althouse proposes, 
according to the Progressive Dane.

"I was in high school in 1977 when [Ordinance 23.20] was passed, and 
essentially it was the citizens of Madison who voted it in," said McCaw. 
"So now, if a small group makes a lot of noise, it's not going to change 
much. But if the overwhelming majority of citizens feels strongly, we're 
going to change the way we do things."
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jo-D