Ordinance to ban commercial in ANC just FAILED

[elkamino]

Tonight the Anchorage Assembly held a public comment on an ordinance that would prevent growing/selling in Anchorage, despite the just-passed citizen's initiative that legalizes state-wide. After the comments, the assembly voted, and the attempt to ban commercial in ANC failed. I believe that is a good thing, but T it up if you disagree.

I'll post some notes from the hearing in the morning but the ordinance put up by Amy Domboski (R- Eagle River) and 2 others including the chairman failed either 9:2 or 6:5. That's good but wtf was she thinking, seriously. When she spoke, she was nervous as hell, didn't feel at all like a serious candidate for mayor. She almost cried. I got some juicy fucking quotes from her too, funny as hell.

Anyway there were 2 votes on the ordinance tonight. I think maybe there's a feel-it-out vote first, to see how their fellow assemblymates will vote, then they get to "be a part of the winning team!" with a real vote, if they realize they're going to lose. Can't say, I didn't really understand but the first vote failed 6:5. Then they all had a chance to speak their mind about how they decided to vote. Maybe half did, a few of them noting that the medical testimony, and poor access meds because they're pseudo-legal, was the most compelling, which is amazing, because this technically has nothing to do with medical, but could theoretically provide med users with all they need. Anyway that's when Amy seemed almost weepy, certainly stacatto-breathing, and I bet you will laugh at what she said. I'll post it tomorrow, and not sure but you may be able to stream the hearing too via the muni site. After some mostly grandstanding discussion they voted again, with only 2 members still supporting.

So now our poor mostly head-in-sand representatives, freshly-bombarded by a solid lineup of ANC stoners and others, aka those willing to show up, will have to implement regulation on something that literally scares the hell out of them, something they know nothing about.

If only we could get them high!

 

[FrozenChozen]

I missed it brotha.... Had an emergency with the wifes car this afternoon/evening.... I would love to hear what was said!

 

[elkamino]

After hearing unrelated testimony on ordinances re: cop funding and union contracts, the ANC assembly opened public comment on an ordinance to ban commercial cannabis in the Anchorage Borough.

About 75 people testified, the majority strongly opposing Domboski's "Opt out" ordinance for a wide variety of reasons. I watched the first half from the audience, but left after all my points had been covered by other commenters. I caught most of the second half from home via the muni live internet feed, and took occasional notes throughout.

Following is a brief summary of some of the more compelling testimony. Its not comprehensive as I didn't write everything down and missed many of the comments but should give a sense of how it went.

I arrived early and sat in the back. A guy with a priest collar sat next to me, I later learned he was Rev Michael Burke of "Common Sense on Marijuana in Alaska." (He testified later, see below.)

Assembly Chair Dick Traini was cordial and inviting, which was a nice surprise as he was a cosponsor of the opt-out ordinance and I had no idea what to expect. Even when testimony was repetitive and inane, (and damnit there was a whole lot of off-topic, counterproductive and even self-incriminating testimony, sigh), he and the other members were respectful to people at the mic.

-First up was a young lady, making great points in a well-done presentation. She noted that opting out would override the people, and that the assembly had a responsibility to carry out the people's will. She received applause, which caused the Chair to note that applause doesn't help the cause, just lengthen the meeting. (He's right of course but we weren't clapping to change their minds, we were clapping to support her testimony. Applause happened a few more times, and Traini threatened once to end the meeting if disruptions continued. Mostly though decorum was honored throughout the evening, something members praised later as "surprising."

-Roger Penrod stood up next and told the assembly that marijuana is bad, and to let other muni's deal with it and sort it out first. "Pass the buck."

-A med patient testified with a solid critique of the failures of the state med program, noting that legalization would allow her to access her meds and opting out would not. She was well-received.

-Next a young man basically offered the assembly a civic lesson on the assembly's role. Passing the ordinance would conflict directly with the will of the people, literally overriding the voter. Their job is to manage this, not stick their heads in the sand.

-Rev Michael Burke had prepared notes and he said his new organization "Common Sense on Marijuana in Alaska" was made up of folks with conflicting views on commercialization that had come together to find the common ground needed to move forward with regulation. Overturning the people's will doesn't pass the "red face test". He had 4 main points, seemingly chosen to make this legalization pill easier to swallow for the antis:
1. Put tax dollars toward treatment of social ills- addictions, gambling, alcohol, etc
2. Develop an artisenal model that supports small, local businesses instead of big corporations. (Perhaps a micro-brewery model template?)
3. Regulate advertising
4. Regulate edibles
(My initial take on the Rev/Common Sense is that they're the actual "middle ground" of this issue… where "SAM"/Sabet are not.)

-A guy then wanted everyone to know that feds won't tolerate cannabinoids in the blood of their workers, and that therefore it should stay illegal, or at least we should opt out. He doesn't want to create a "dual citizen," some who can work fed jobs and some who can't. Yawn.

-Midtown homeowner/husband/father Mr. Kelly noted the assembly's fiscal problems and challenged them to not give up this revenue source poised to be taxed and regulated.

-Mr White says there's no such thing as medical mj.

(to be continued...)

 

[AKrbb907]

I testified. I was the guy who told them to remember who put them in office and to vote wisely.

Also got interviewed by Gretchen Parsons for a TV interview.

 

[elkamino]

PART 2:

-Ms Brown then said that overturning the will of the voter is "immoral" and stressed that mj is a very useful medicine that Alaskans can grow themselves. She says it helps tremendously with her PTSD, others' too. Keeping it from Alaskans or forcing them to pharmeceuticals is wrong. She says not to judge her for her adult choices- members of the assembly make life choices she doesn't agree with (like eating meat) but she doesn't criminalize them, or keep them from doing it. Solid testimony, and she got teared up educating them. "Respect my ability to make choices."

-Kristine HIll is an employer and she hates the plant. She can't keep a drug-free workplace now, and that while the majority of Anchorage residents supported treating MJ like alcohol, "It was also the majority that crucified Christ!" She was proud of that comment, smug bitch. Chambers erupted in guffaws and Traini demanded order.

-Mr Holdeman opposed the ordinance, just got back from WA where he toured facilities. "Who do you want running this industry? The black market? Or responsible, tax-paying and well-regulated businessmen?"

-Mr Leemer uttered inane and counterproductive comments. Earlier he had tried to testify on the ordinance during the wrong part of the show, I and others cringed and wished his amigos had just puffed him down before the meeting and told him to watch the live internet feed instead of representing us so poorly. Regretably Leemer announced his 2015 campaign for mayor to Chairman Traini, Traini gently told Leemer "That's why we have elections," but avoided letting him know the race is actually in 2016. D'oh!

-An elderly lady made great points about Domboski's efforts to "hijack the voting system," a theme that got a lot more play, and traction, through the evening. The drug war breaks up families, broke up hers. Let's get beyond the propaganda.

-Mr Kole called out Dombowski's motivations, saying the ordinance was her effort to get name recognition for a mayoral bid. Called her "wait and see" approach misnamed; actual wait-n-see would be to actually wait and see how it plays out, then respond to problems.

Mr Schulte NAILED IT, so nice to see well-spoken leaders in the movement! Laid out a timeline that debunked all the "Its happening too fast!" fears, noted that there's plenty of time for the assembly to regulate responsibly. "You've got one year from today" to get this done, an "appropriate" amount of time to determine how to move forward.

-Mr Farleigh is a productive citizen that has raised a successful family. He's been a community volunteer and still has been treated like a criminal for preferring a plant to alcohol. He noted alcoholism in his family, and his choice to use mj to unwind should be respected.

-Leader of the "Don't Legalize!" campaign and pro-nanny-stater Christina Woolston expressed outrage that cannabis entrepreneurs are ALREADY prepping for legalization! Can you believe that they're buying properties, hiring staff "budtenders" etc.??? (The gall of businessmen/women these days! I mean, what if BP or Conoco-Philips bought petrol leases before the oil was legally extractable?! Horror of horrors, legal commerce is happening in AK, tax dollars might flow, black market is weakening! Yikes!)

-Debra Williams, the co-leader of the "Don't legalize!" campaign was pretty charged up and said there's 3 reasons to support Domboski's ordinance:
1. Because the ordinance allows it!
2. Legalizing is expensive (ignoring that making something illegal and then enforcing the law is,by definition, more expensive than leaving something legal, and allowing it.)
3. By opting out, ANC would have "bargaining power" before the legislature. (This point was rebuffed brilliantly by others who noted that if ANC opts out then legislators attempting to make this work would actually be more interested in working with boroughs where the rubber would actually hit the road than those that already had a plan, or ban, in place.

-Ms Davis lost a child to a bullet a few years ago, the result of a discrepancy in the weight of a street bag. She noted that voters asked to "regulate cannabis like alcohol," and that if it was her child would still be alive. "its already here, and they took my child over a gram," she said tearfully. "What we have now is not safe, it literally makes the children less safe."

To be continued...

 

[elkamino]

-A guy noted that we'd have to drive to MatSu or elsewhere to get weed, like we do fireworks. Do you want these stoners on the road, or buying local? Besides this is govt overreach.

-Ms Dixon has Chrones Disease and gave compelling testimony. MJ helps her but she can't get strains that are high in CBD. "They don't sell CBD strains on the street." She didn't really care about the "Rec" component, but legalization would allow her to get what she needs since AK's MMJ program doesn't. "Its painful to stand here, sit here this long." (Traini may have jabbed at her on that- "I know its painful to stand there". Or maybe he was actually being nice. Dunno.)

-Noah Sunflower is a labor organizer who doesn't smoke or have business interests in MJ but noted prior political attacks on the will of the voter, saying this was "an attack on the democratic process".

SIDE NOTE: During all the testimony the ANC police chief was seated about 30 feet away. Not sure if that was a factor but many testifying claimed to not smoke cannabis, that they were present because they were legitimately worried about the dem process. Most compelling was a Mr Smith, non-smoker.

-Mr Smith: "I'm not for marijuana, at all. But I am for the rights of the voter. What are we telling the young people, that their vote doesn't count? I was taught that our vote was our voice, and I fought for that right for Americans. The vote is how we speak, like it or not, and the people have already voted."

-Mr Sonnek has seen vast improvements in quality of life for himself and 2 others. "let people use it safely, this is a usurpation of the will of the people."

-Lynette Craig with CRCLA gave confusing testimony, started kinda strong but tangented into inanity. Arguably counterproductive, sadly. Fortunately her organization represented much more strongly via 2 other presenters.

-Ms McCabe noted that ANC is a hub for all the state, including mj buying. "Let's not give away this economic driver to Fairbanks, or MatSu."

-Mr Cortez in a wheelchair and with service dog noted that "No black market dealers or growers I know have wheelchair accessible ramps." By passing the ordinance, the assembly was treating him like a second class citizen by keeping it illegal.

(to be continued...)

 

[elkamino]

I testified. I was the guy who told them to remember who put them in office and to vote wisely.

Also got interviewed by Gretchen Parsons for a TV interview.

NICE! And thank you for your service! Got a link for the tv clip?

 

[elkamino]

PART 3:

-Cecil Brown noted that "The voters said to tax and regulate marijuana like alcohol. part of that means making it accessible. Throwing up your hands and saying 'We're not making rules!' is not what's best for the voters, and its not doing your job. Do your job and regulate this.

-Mr Merrill gave a history of mj, focusing on the medical.

-Mr Dyer called out the assembly saying "We don't wait for the state on anything! In Anchorage, we're the leaders, the state needs to follow us. Do your job!"

-Ms Walso says "Look around the room. People are here for this, and that's rare at assembly meetings. Respect their will, be proactive and regulate this new market."

-Mr Syrah offered a good quote from CO Gov Hickenlooper regarding getting what's now a black market regulated. Talked about gangsters, usage in smart ways. "People need clean meds, don't deny them access. If you oppose a regulated market you're pro-gangster."



They took a 10 minute smoke break at 9.

 

[elkamino]

After the break Chairman Traini sat down with a vial containing at least two of his preferred drugs, high fructose corn syrup and caffeine, in the form of Coca Cola.

 

[elkamino]

-Next person noted that the assembly has 2 responsibilities: promote business and keep us safe. DO YOUR JOB. "I know you want to proceed with caution, but at least PROCEED."

Well there's more to my notes but I'm tired o typing and I think you get the point. Lots of testimony, all over the place, 10:1 in favor of dumping the ordinance and getting ON with the normalization of cannabis.

Still, after a couple hours of having to listen to lots of off-topic testimony I really began to have empathy for the assembly having to deal with idiots. That lasted until I heard some of them members speak- Honeman and Demboski in particular- many of their points were less coherent and had even less standing! Mr Starr (also Eagle River) would be the exception. He seemed as reasonable and thoughtful in the discussion as any and could prove a pro-active ally as rules/regs are sorted out.

I noted in the OP that Demboski may have been crying, or almost crying. I think now that I was wrong, she's just got a squeaky, low-confidence voice and I misinterpreted it. It did seem she may have had some regret as she spoke, hard to say. But her tone was condescending, overly defensive and full of political doublespeak. She's not a leader, sophomoric in tone/word selection and came off as unqualified to represent our city as mayor.

Its worth noting that Chairman Traini was a sponsor but ultimately voted against the ordinance. I hope a reporter asks him about that, it may be useful to understand his reasoning.

Hope this post has been useful to those who didn't make it, and a serious thank you to AKrbb907 for stepping up to the mic and representing RIU... even if you chose not to note our brotherhood publicly!

(edited for spelling "condescending"

 

[nvhak49]

Props to all of your that made it there and said something! Well done!!

 

[mofucka]

Damn I really wNred to be there for that !
Good job elkamino on the post
I dint have tv . Nor do I check the news much .But I doubt the news would have as much as you got