Recently the Lake County Chamber of Commerce sent questionnaires to each candidate for the Board of Supervisors for Districts 1, 4 and 5. Each candidate received the same set of questions. There were no limits placed upon their responses in terms of length. In the two weeks remaining until June 7, the Record-Bee will provide a sample of those responses.
Note: Tina Scott, Martin Scheel, Ron Rose (District 4), Rob Brown and John Stoddard (District 5) did not respond to the chamber questionnaire.
Given that new marijuana regulations could be in place after the November election and that legalized recreational use is possible, what are the challenges and benefits of marijuana grows to the county?.
District 1 Candidates
Jose “Moke” Simon III
Marijuana cultivation and sales — medicinal and recreational — are a reality in Lake and other well-known northern California counties. I don’t object to personal use of marijuana, but I respect the fact that not everyone wants to live next door to a growing operation and cities and counties need to achieve a balance with respect to local ordinances and regulations. I do think the Supervisors could establish clearer overall guidelines rather than having a patchwork of varying (and possibly conflicting) ordinances throughout Lake County.
Also, there is a potential tax base here that needs to be properly vetted. Several states have been very successful in this area generating much needed tax revenue. I support State Senator McGuire’s legislation that creates such a structure for California, beginning with medical marijuana dispensaries.
Voris Brumfield
We as a county have the benefit of the pitfalls and lessons being learned in Colorado. The fact that our Sheriff and the Sheriff of Mendocino County are well connected and share problem solving challenges with marijuana cultivation and sales is a good thing. Our District Attorney is a realist regarding the use of cannabis in the state as times are changing dramatically. Yes, there may be a temporary increase in crime while guidelines are being implemented, however, there will be a greater opportunity to contain and limit the impact on the general public with legalization.
Monica Rosenthal
I believe it is important for the County to be forward-thinking in developing our future marijuana regulations.
I led the successful campaigns to secure Measure N and defeat Measures O and P in 2014 to empower law enforcement to act as needed to protect our quality of life and keep our communities safe by keeping outdoor marijuana grows away from our neighborhoods and schools.
As we move toward the eventual legalization of marijuana, we will be presented with numerous challenges and benefits.
Some of those challenges include: enforcement issues; applying rules equitably for large and small scale growers; protecting our youth and curtailing access; protecting our communities and the environment; find a balance between federal, state and county regulations especially since it is still a Class 1 Drug at the Federal level; having marijuana reclassified so that it can be studied and making the appropriate changes to our county planning documents and zoning ordinance.
Some of the possible benefits include: potential tax revenue and business taxes; jobs; increase in property, business and income taxes; sales taxes and marijuana use taxes; social security; reduction in crime and environmental degradation once everything is above board; curtailment of illegal water diversions; reduction in nitrogen and pesticide use; agri-tourism and increase in farming.
As our Supervisor, I will carefully evaluate the challenges and the benefits and make the appropriate decisions in the best interest of the County of Lake.
Additionally it is important to protect medicinal marijuana patients and their rights to safe and accessible medication, protect our communities and our youth, and protect our environment. Most importantly, the people of Lake County need to feel safe as we move through this process.
Jim Ryan
Local control regarding permitting and taxing the marijuana industry is foremost. We need to have a model that stays in line with state laws yet allows for local taxes to stay here locally. There will certainly be challenges as to set back limits, and the enforcement of any criminal enterprise that should arise during this change. My experience working on a Federal Task Force, fighting against the illegal enterprises that come with this territory will certainly benefit me in my position as a County Supervisor. I wrote and obtained a regional grant to provide safety from illicit growers in Lake County. This industry must be highly regulated as to not harm our environment or cause any acts of violence which has historically been the case.
District 4, 5 Candidates
Ted Mandrones
The challenge is to get regulations in place that everyone can agree on. The policies need to benefit the community and protect our youth from the temptation of drugs. Recreational marijuana will create more law enforcement issues and it will create a black market for “unapproved” grows. If done right, marijuana could lead to job creation and revenues needed to support law enforcement and programs to help drug abuse, the homeless and the mentally ill.
Phil Murphy
Marijuana cultivation here will likely continue to be problematic for the foreseeable future due to the complex and costly state regulations enacted by the state and on the November ballot, these new rules will ensure that the black market will survive and thrive. Marijuana will be a problem as long as it’s value is dramatically inflated, when the bulk of the profits are removed the cultivation of marijuana will become a very minor law enforcement and neighborhood issue. Whether or not there is a future for legal commercial cannabis cultivation here is debatable and dependent on forces outside of Lake County, it is likely that it will take years for the market to stabilize and for us to determine it’s viability here.
Philip Reimers
Done correctly it can be an economic shot in the arm. If legalized then the governing body has to set aside personal objections and execute policies that encourage responsible cultivation and retailing.
