Pubdate: Wed, 22 Nov 2017
Source: Sacramento Bee (CA)
Copyright: 2017 The Sacramento Bee
Contact: http://mapinc.org/url/0n4cG7L1
Website: http://www.sacbee.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/376
Author: Brad Branan

SACRAMENTO CITY COUNCIL APPROVES FUNDING TO CRACK DOWN ON ILLEGAL
MARIJUANA GROWS

The Sacramento City Council on Tuesday approved funding sources for
increased law enforcement against illegal indoor pot grows, following
a two-month pilot program that led to the closure of 614 pot houses.

The city expects to spend between $700,000 and $1.1 million on police
efforts to stop the approximately 1,000 illegal grows in Sacramento
houses in the fiscal year ending June 30.

The city will pay those costs with tax revenue collected from legal
marijuana businesses, which are expected to start operating sometime
after Jan. 1, when adults can purchase pot for recreational use
statewide. The city plans to supplement that tax revenue with
administrative fines collected from illegal pot growers.

Councilman Steve Hansen said it's important that the city make a
strong statement in its opposition to illegal grows as it prepares to
usher in legal adult-use marijuana. Illegal marijuana cultivation can
make it harder for legal operators to stay in business and also
deprives the city of tax revenue.

Sacramento city officials say the grow houses create suspicion and
fear among neighbors and have been responsible for violence, including
armed robberies and fatal shootings.

The Police Department led a 60 day-pilot program that started with the
city sending warning letters to 959 suspected illegal grow houses.

Police and other city officials inspected 614 of those properties.
Marijuana was removed from those properties by the Fire Department.

Police Capt. Dave Peletta said previous enforcement efforts might have
been like playing "whack-a-mole" because closed operators would reopen
somewhere else in town. But he thinks illegal operators are more wary
now that the city has a $500-per-plant fine for violators.

The city has issued $7.8 million in administrative fines for those
grow houses. It has collected $25,000.

The City Council also received an update Tuesday about the city's
long-term plan for enforcement of legal and illegal marijuana
businesses. Joe Devlin, chief of the city's Office of Cannabis Policy
and Enforcement, is directing those efforts.

The city plans to use 54 employees who will be dedicated to marijuana
enforcement, Devlin told the council. The employees will work in a
wide range of positions, including 12 police officers, four sergeants,
one captain, eight code enforcement employees, four building
inspectors and 11 administrators.

Some of those employees have been hired already, while other positions
need to be filled. The annual labor costs are expected to be $6.8
million, all of which will be paid by permit fees, Devlin said.

Positions will be filled as the fees are collected. Devlin expects to
collect permit fees for cultivation, retail sales and other marijuana
business activities starting Jan. 1.
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MAP posted-by: Matt