June Ballot Information
What is Measure B
& why is it needed?
Measure B - Listen online
Yes on Measure B / KMEC - 04.15.08
Measure B debate / Ukiah City Council - 04.14.08
No on Measure B / KMEC - 04.08.08
Measure B - Listen online
Yes on Measure B / KMEC - 04.15.08
Measure B debate / Ukiah City Council - 04.14.08
No on Measure B / KMEC - 04.08.08
Argument in favor of Measure B
Marijuana cultivation in Mendocino County is clearly out of control. We have become a target for "no-limits" commercial marijuana growers who want quick profit and who care nothing about the impacts to our neighborhoods, our communities or the environment.
With the boom in commercial marijuana growing a crime wave has engulfed our communities. Home invasion robberies, trespassing, impacts to schools, and an influx of guns and attack dogs in residential neighborhoods are commonplace. Young people are increasingly turning to marijuana cultivation as a "career path."
Environmental damage from marijuana cultivation includes spills of diesel fuel and waste oil, dumping of trash, misuse of pesticides and fertilizers, illegal water diversion that has completely dried up some streams, poisoning of wildlife, damage to rural roads and strong odors that have sickened nearby residents.
What has caused this crisis? Much of the blame lies with Measure G, approved in 2000, that told law enforcement that all marijuana laws were the "lowest priority" for law enforcement, even lower than jaywalking.
Measure G discourages law enforcement from protecting us against even the most flagrant abuses by the commercial growers and sends a message to the nation that "marijuana is legal" in Mendocino County.
This has made us a magnet for "get-rich-quick" growers who hide behind medical marijuana as a "cover" for commercial marijuana production.
A "Yes" vote on Measure B does two simple things: it protects the rights of medical marijuana patients by adopting the same limits as state law and it repeals Measure G.
"Yes" on B tells law enforcement that we want protection against the abuses of the "no-limits" commercial growers.
"Yes" on B tells out-of-control growers that they are no longer welcome in Mendocino County.
Help save Mendocino County. Vote "Yes" on Measure B.
Duane Wells, Co-chairman, Yes on B Coalition
D.J. Miller, Co-chairman, Yes on B Coalition
Mari Rodin
Dave Bengston
Ron Orenstein
The rest of the argument
'NO ON MEASURE B' PRIMARY BALLOT ARGUMENTMeasure B is a backward step towards marijuana re-criminalization that targets small-scale, personal use growers instead of large-scale commercial operators and organized criminals who are actually causing the problems in Mendocino County.
In 2000, Mendocino County voters overwhelmingly approved Measure G, the Personal Use of Marijuana Initiative, which allows cultivation of twenty--five (25) plants or fewer for personal use only, while leaving commercial cultivation and sales illegal.
Measure B would 1) repeal Measure G so as to re-criminalize personal use growing, and 2) subject medical marijuana patients to arrest and prosecution on felony charges for growing more than six (6) plants, forcing many seriously ill people into the criminal market to get their medicine.
Mendocino County will not be made safer by cracking down on small personal use growers. Instead, it will be made less safe by diverting police resources. Sheriff Tom Allman has said that reducing patient plant guidelines to six plants would be "a burden on law enforcement" under which his deputies "will not be able to focus on any other public safety issue". (Press Democrat 3/17/07)
Mendocino County sorely needs to regulate large-scale gardens and to attack illicit grows and commercial trafficking. Measure B is a bogus diversion that does neither.
The solution is not to repeal Measure G (MCC9.36), but to seek ways to enforce it by regulating commercial growing.
If you support targeting large-scale criminal operations rather than personal use gardens, VOTE NO on B.
If you believe seriously ill patients should not be arrested for seven (7) plants, VOTE NO on B.
If you believe law enforcement has more important priorities than arresting and prosecuting small marijuana gardeners, VOTE NO on B.
If you support decriminalization of marijuana, VOTE NO on B.
B is Bad for Mendocino. Vote NO.
I swear under penalty of perjury that the above NO ON MEASURE B ballot argument is true and correct to the best of my knowledge.
Signed by:
William L. Courtney MD
Catherine Babcock Magruder, Community Cultural Artist/Cancer Survivor
Keith Faulder, Attorney At Law
Peter Keegan MD
Lynda McClure, Union Representative
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YES ON MEASURE B
REBUTTAL TO THE ARGUMENT AGAINST MEASURE B
Don’t be fooled by false arguments and misleading quotations.
Measure B protects medical patients - not commercial growers.
The State recommended limits of 6 adult or 12 immature plants, plus ½ lb of marijuana, (more if physician recommended), is more than sufficient for seriously ill patients.
Sheriff Allman is neutral on Measure B, but previously said, “the problem in California is a lack of consistency in the law.”
Recently, Sheriff Allman stated “Measure B will not change our focus. Investigating violent crime will remain our top priority. We do not, and will not, target small grows. We will continue to focus on large grows and complaints about growers who create a public nuisance, endanger public safety or trash the environment.”
“YES” ON B repeals Measure G which is inconsistent with state law, and makes Mendocino County a magnet for commercial growers who use medical marijuana as a cover for growing hundreds of plants.
“YES” ON B repeals G, which sanctions commercial quantities of 25 plants for everyone and tells law enforcement that ALL marijuana laws are the “lowest priority” and should not be enforced.
VOTE “YES” ON B - repeal G and end the hypocrisy that tells our kids it’s OK to break the law as long as you make money.
VOTE “YES” ON B - tell law enforcement and elected officials we want to feel safe in our homes and neighborhoods and we want our children and the environment protected from commercial growers who are motivated only by quick profit.
more information: www.YesOnBCoalition.org
s/Dave Turner, Fort Bragg City Council member
s/Karen Oslund, Willits City Council member
s/Marvin Trotter, M.D., Emergency Room Physician
s/Karin Wandrei, Ph.D., Executive Director, Mendocino County Youth Project
s/Robert Werra, M.D., Hospice Medical Advisor
Existing Law information
For more information on existing marijuana laws;
Proposition 215, SB 420, 11362.5H&S & Measure G
Vote Yes On B June 3rd, 2008
Register to vote.
Note: Last day to register for June 3rd 2008 direct primary is MAY 19th 2008
Find my polling location. Enter your address and find your polling precinct and location.
Visit the Mendocino County Assessor - County Clerk - Recorder for more information.
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