Sensible Spokane Alliance

Although Spokane I-3 did not make the ballot this November, Citizens for a Sensible Spokane and other local activist groups were successful in bringing the issues surrounding marijuana to the forefront.

In a recent Q & A session with the Spokesman Review, local candidates were asked a number of questions, including weather or not they would support our lowest law enforcement priority ordinance. An overwhelming number of candidates answered in support of local marijuana policy reform.

The following are local candidates responses to a question regarding a lowest law enforcement priority ordinance and links to the full articles by columnist Johnathan Brunt:

Question: 17. Would you support a law, modeled after a law in Seattle, to make misdemeanor possession of marijuana by an adult the city’s lowest enforcement priority?

Michael Noder, running for Mayor - "Yes. I don’t want these cases in the judicial system, but want law enforcement to have discretion when such activities appear to threaten the rights and liberties of other citizens. Driving under the influence or providing access to minors are examples of legitimate law enforcement interest in marijuana-related matters.

This can be a perplexing governmental matter, but Constitutional restraint is the only path that will reverse the massive economic incentives and chaos our drug laws contribute to."

Full article

Dona Lampert, running for Mayor - "Yes, let’s enforce property crimes." Full article

David Condon, running for Mayor - "No." Full article

Mary Verner, running for Mayor - "The phrase “there ought to be a law” comes to mind. In Spokane, no law is needed to determine the city’s enforcement priorities. Law enforcement professionals use a common-sense approach to prioritize crimes against persons, domestic violence, child and elder abuse and endangerment, gang and repeat-offender crimes, and so forth. With extremely limited resources, the SPD already does not prioritize uncomplicated misdemeanors. However, officers should not be constrained to enforce when the context of the misdemeanor requires it. No new law is needed in this instance." Full article

Victor Noder, running for Council President - "Yes. I have come to believe that we know virtually nothing about food and drugs. If I made it onto the national stage I would lobby for real education in this area moving us as a group away from surgical interventions and pharma. It is ridiculous in that all these ailments we are currently plagued with, especially depression are cause by a lack of understanding that food is medicine and no longer are we receiving living and real food. So called dope or weed, could be medicine. What do we know about medicine in our culture. Organic problems are caused Nature does not cause them in my opinion. If it is grown from the earth using living water and air, it probably has some intertwining function above our understanding. I am very skeptical as to what motivated the illegality of marijuana in the first place." Full article

Steve Corker, running for Council President - "Yes, as long as the individual is not distributing or cultivating marijuana." Full article

Dennis Hession, running for Council President - "There already exists conflict between our own State marijuana laws and those of the Federal Government. Adding a third layer of government to the conflict will lead to further uncertainty not more certainty. The City Council passes laws which do not conflict with State and Federal laws in areas where the province of these higher governments is recognized. We work hard to identify and hire a Chief of Police and police officers with the best skills and greatest judgment we can. Their job is to protect the public and enforce the laws. They are professionally trained to do that, are worthy of our trust and they are held accountable to the public for exercising good judgment even under extremely stressful circumstances. Their responsibility includes the discretion to set priorities to insure the overall safety of our community." Full article

Ben Stuckart, running for Council President - "I don’t think that Spokane should pass a law just because Seattle passed one, but there is overwhelming evidence that the Seattle initiative has been a success and the fears concerning increase marijuana abuse proved to be incorrect. I would not be opposed to reviewing current police enforcement priorities. For example, the police force currently does not have any detectives assigned to car break-ins. I found this out the hard way when my car was broken in to last month. Property crimes are not victimless and there is a strong argument they should be prioritized above misdemeanor possession of marijuana." Full article

John Waite, running for City Council seat Northeast - "Yes. While it is important for the states and municipalities to comply with federal law, we have higher priorities as a city for use of taxpayer money." Full article

Donna McKereghan, running for City Council seat Northeast - "Filling our jails with low-level offenders, we now we need a bigger facility. However, I note that as our jails near capacity, one of the first types of arrests they suspend is for marijuana possession. This indicates that law enforcement already sees it as a low priority and citizens should do the same. While many consider marijuana to be a “gateway drug,” incarcerating people whose only offense is possession of marijuana is the more likely “gateway.” Placing them in jails with felons and repeat felony offenders is a good way to enculturate them into a life they would never have been exposed to, if not for their incarceration. Those driving under the influence of any drug should be incarcerated but it’s costing too much – both in terms of money and the actual creation of criminals to continue incarcerating so many." Full article

Gary Pollard, running for City Council seat Northeast - "Yes." Full article

Luke Tolley, running for City Council seat Northeast - "Yes and no. I would possibly support making possession of marijuana a low enforcement priority, but I believe that as long as it is illegal it should be enforced. I also believe that quasi-decriminalization leads to tying the hands of our law enforcement officers in ways that make it harder to do their jobs. Your average person in possession of marijuana may not be guilty of any other crimes, but many have warrants or are guilty of other crimes that are not discovered unless they are detained.

Unfortunately our detention system is overburdened, so from a budget standpoint it does make sense to divert non-violent, no-victim crimes from detention. Our court system is equally overburdened so it is important that any such laws to do not cause a situation where legitimate criminals can get off on technicalities because they were originally detained for possession of marijuana." Full article

Mike Fagan, running for City Council seat Northeast - "This question is very ambiguous and since I am not fully cognizant of Seattle’s ordinance, I feel a bit out of my element to just make a specific statement. In general, if the scenario called for an adult who for example is not trafficking, non-violent, not driving, did not have children with them, and has made a reasonable attempt to be isolated from the general public, I would take a libertarian stance and would be supportive of an ordinance. There is emerging science being conducted right now on the effects of, at what level, and how it does affect people and ability. There is statistical data which supports the starting of the dialog for an ordinance such as this." Full article

Steve Salvatori, running for City Council seat Northwest - "Yes. We need our police to focus their efforts where they can do the most good and prevent the most harm. Public safety needs to be our paramount concern, and we need to be as effective as possible in providing it." Full article

Joy Jones, running for City Council seat Northwest - "Yes, in times of tight budgets and a reduced police force, the city needs to change its focus from smaller and petty crimes, to those such as violent crime, property crime, and white collar crime. These are the important issues to the citizens of Spokane." Full article

Michael Allen, running for City Council seat South - "No." Full article

Richard Rush, running for City Council seat South - "The police department only has 290 commissioned officer positions, down from a high of 308 in 2004. Only 275 of those officer positions are filled due to resource constraints.

Between 1999 and 2010, there was a 14% increase in calls for police services. As a result, our law enforcement officers frequently cannot respond to calls for property crimes. These are calls the city should be adequately staffed to respond to. Therefore it is critically important law enforcement priorities are set appropriately.

I would welcome a conversation regarding the revision of law enforcement priorities to better serve our citizens. It would not be appropriate to support legislation establishing any law enforcement priority prior to having such a conversation." Full article

So, there you have it Spokane. These are your local candidates and their stance on cannabis policy reform. Get in touch with the people who explicitly support reform and endorse and support their campaigns. And don't forget to VOTE!!!