Pubdate: Tue, 09 Sep 2014
Source: Albuquerque Journal (NM)
Copyright: 2014 Albuquerque Journal
Contact:  http://www.abqjournal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/10
Author: T.S. Last, Journal North
Page: C2

SF COUNTY VOTERS MAY GIVE OPINION ON POT

Commission to Consider an 'Advisory Question' For November Ballot

SANTA FE - Voters in Santa Fe County, and not just those inside Santa 
Fe city limits, may get to weigh in on whether possession of small 
amounts of marijuana should be decriminalized - but they won't vote 
to actually create a law to lower pot penalties.

The Santa Fe County Commission today will consider placing an 
"advisory question" on the November ballot. The results would serve 
as an opinion poll on decriminalization. "It's not binding, but it 
lets voters weigh in," said Pat Davis of ProgressNow New Mexico, 
which pushed petition drives to put pot decriminalization measures on 
the ballot in Albuquerque and Santa Fe.

The Santa Fe effort secured enough signatures for a ballot spot. But 
the City Council instead last month adopted pot decriminalization on 
its own, without seeking voter approval. The city ordinance makes 
possession of an ounce or less of marijuana a civil infraction under 
city law, punishable by a fine of no more than $25. But state law 
that makes the same violation a criminal petty misdemeanor remains 
valid in Santa Fe as well; police have discretion to use either the 
city ordinance or state law.

The proposed county ballot question, sponsored by Commissioner Liz 
Stefanics, reads: "Should the Board of County Commissioners (BBC) of 
Santa Fe County support county, city and statewide efforts to 
decriminalize possession of one ounce or less of marijuana?"

Orlando Baca, chair of the Santa Fe County Republican Party, said the 
proposal is a political tactic to get more left-leaning voters to the 
polls. "I don't think it really has anything to do with efforts to 
decriminalize marijuana," he said.

A similar measure was passed by the Bernalillo County Commission on 
Monday. An attorney for the Secretary of State's office said then he 
didn't believe the state constitution permits advisory questions on a 
general election ballot. But the Attorney General's Office says in a 
letter that state law "does not expressly prohibit questions that 
merely seek the opinion of voters."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom