Pubdate: Sun, 18 Jan 2015 Source: Frontiersman, The (Wasilla, AK) Copyright: 2015 Wick Communications Contact: http://www.frontiersman.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1532 Author: Brian O'Connor FORUM CROWD PRO-POT, PRO-REGULATION PALMER - Residents and local government officials appear cautiously optimistic about the future of marijuana in the Mat-Su Valley, based on discussion at Thursday's meeting. Some of the commentary heard during Thursday's informal mayoral forum - - which involved mayors of Wasilla, Palmer, Houston, and the Mat-Su Borough - focused on specific policy recommendations, like the suggestion that a limited number of licenses be offered, and be initially awarded via lottery. Other recommendations, like a speaker who urged officials to adopt specific regulations only as specific problems arose, were more general. For example, MEA project manager and power investigator Yukon Tanner said any approach to legalized marijuana should include provisions allowing for inspections based on power use. Because marijuana is often grown indoors, it has in the past required large amounts of power, which law enforcement agencies, including the Alaska State Troopers, have often used as probable cause to raid marijuana-growing operations. That, in turn, often leads growers to steal electricity using wiring shunts around meters and other measures. "We have collected as much as $278,000 from one individual," he said. "We would like you to consider some provision for utility inspection or utility oversight of these operations so we're assured that whatever power used is paid for." "We certainly want to sell some," Tanner added. "We have a new power plant we want to pay for." Another specific proposal by Walter Christolear was to set a total number of nontransferable permits, then void and add to the permit pool as business owners leave the industry. Christolear also suggested a set number and range of hours of operation, and that scales used to measure product should be inspected by the Office of Measurement Standards and Commercial Vehicle Enforcement's Weights and Measures section. "I think the state should have a marijuana control board, and not have it regulated by the alcohol control board, because they are inundated with alcohol problems," he said. "I think if you had two separate entities, it would work a lot simpler." Others, like Bill Fikes, suggested a more unregulated industry would maximize potential economic benefits. "I think you need to look at minimalistic regulations," he said. "Give us the opportunity to self-regulate. When you see a problem come up, then approach regulation." "For over 3,000 years, marijuana's lived perfectly peacefully with mankind," Fikes added. "There has never been a death reported from marijuana use, until about 80 years ago, we made regulations about it and we started shooting each other over it." While specific proposals abounded, some specifics about the law are presently unknown. For example, the ballot measure states that the bill legalizing marijuana should take effect 90 days after the election's certification by the Lieutenant Governor, though officials think that means a range of dates, from Feb. 24 to Feb. 26, are the dates personal use provisions could go into effect, according to borough attorney Nicholas Spiropoulos. Enthusiasm for the measure varied considerably among the borough's three incorporated municipalities. In the two precincts within the Palmer city limits, voters narrowly voted to approve the legalization of marijuana, 52 percent to 48 percent. In the lone City of Houston precinct, voters approved the measure 57 percent to 43 percent. Of the borough's three cities, Wasilla alone rejected the measure, 53 percent to 47 percent. More broadly, Valley voters as a group rejected the measure. The tone of mayoral enthusiasm for the debate largely reflected these measures. Wasilla Mayor Bert Cottle pledged the city would hold it's own open forum on the subject. Palmer Mayor Delena Johnson publicly campaigned against the measure during her unsuccessful bid against Rep. Bill Stoltze for a Senate seat, but said she would reflect voter's wishes going forward. "I'm thankful that this issue offers so much control to local government," she said. "I stand by the quote 'The government closest to the people governs best.'" At least two state legislators listened to a portion of the meeting via teleconference. Stoltze was unavailable for comment Friday, because he was travelling back from Colorado. Rep. Shelley Hughes said she had listened to large portions of the meeting. While Hughes is uncertain how the legislature could or should approach the issues surrounding recreational use, the measure may create political room for legislators to address needed reforms to the medical marijuana statutes, she said. "A lot of votes were won and moved in the yes column on this bill believing it solved the medical marijuana problems," Hughes said. Even if the Alcohol Control Board ended up taking point on the issue, it would need to add experts in marijuana, Hughes said. Speakers at the Thursday forum appeared to pin a lot of economic hope on marijuana's potential, like Daniel Palmer. "This has great potential of becoming a major industry within the state of Alaska, funding a lot of projects and other issues within the state. How many of you have noticed gas prices are down?" he said. "This might be the one thing that saves us, because people are going to be out of work with the North Slope companies." "This has great potential to be abused or of great benefit to taxpayers and our voters," Palmer added. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom