Trojan horse provision in Prop 64
Have you tried to read the thirty-three pages of fine print in your official Voter Information Guide that aims to legalize recreational marijuana (RMJ) in California? Too much to digest? Are you going to rely on the half sheet Quick Reference Guide to get your facts?
Buried within the proposed RMJ law are provisions governing RMJ growing that should concern all homeowners, parents and landlords that are not mentioned in the Quick Reference Guide. The proposed law states that six RMJ plants, with no size restriction, may be grown at a private residence. Private residence is defined to include a house, apartment or mobile home. This new “right” was featured in the 10/16/16 Press Democrat with pictures of marijuana plants that appear to be over six feet high and at least four or five feet wide. This new right is supposedly tempered by provisions which gave cities and counties the power to enact and enforce reasonable regulations to prohibit outdoor RMJ growing on the grounds of a private residence, but in the next paragraph forbids the city or county to prohibit indoor growing in a fully enclosed and secure residence or accessory structure.
The Trojan horse is buried on page 181 of the Voter Information Guide but is never mentioned anywhere else. Subparagraph (4) of Section 11362.2 gives the California Attorney General the authority to nullify and repeal all city and county zoning ordinances to regulate outdoor growing at a private residence upon a determination by the Attorney General that non-medical use of the RMJ is lawful in the State of California under Federal law.
To give a state politician the unilateral power to gut all local residential zoning ordinances is horrible policy and frightening. Any home owner or parent who has had to endure the skunk-like stench of marijuana for weeks at a time knows how terrible this could be. Valuable homes become unsellable.
As a person who has studied and practiced law for over thirty-five years, I have noticed that it is not unusual for a politician to suddenly announce that a long accepted and established principle of law is incorrect. It is not hard to imagine this happening in our state capital. Why else would this be buried in the fine print?
Protect our children and residential neighborhoods and vote no on Prop. 64.
Bob Bridges, Lakeport
School bonds are critical
School bonds have been and continue to be the primary funding mechanism to build new school facilities and address major repairs and upgrades. Bonds allow school districts to accommodate smaller class sizes and keep vocational labs up to current industry standards. Safety and health issues are also addressed with school bonds.
School bonds remain key to keeping Lake County school facilities on par with schools throughout the region and state. The children in Lake County deserve to attend schools that are able to access 21st century instructional strategies.
Our local communities should be involved in the bond process by helping to set district priorities. Additionally, most local school bonds require a citizen’s oversight committee to assure the community that the school district is spending the bond revenues appropriately.
It is important to support our children and our schools by voting for state and local school bonds. Please hold school districts accountable for the safety and outcomes of our children, the performance of our schools, and the protection of our facilities. Vote yes on Measure Y in Konocti Unified School District, and help our local districts leverage resources by voting yes on Proposition 51.
Brock Falkenberg, Lake County Superintendent of Schools
Who gets what?
Received a flier from the City of Lakeport about Measure Z. “Measure Z is a 1 cent local sales tax measure”. One cent on what, a nickel, a dime, a dollar? Maybe it should be called a 1 percent local sales tax.
Its purpose is to address street and road repair. Hey! I’ll vote for that, these pot bumps and speed holes are a real hazard. But wait! On the other side of the flier it states this tax is for the police department. Hey I’ll vote for that too, but it doesn’t say how much goes to road repair or how much goes to the police department.
Well you better believe it will all go to the police department if the high capacity gun magazine thing becomes law because nationwide law officers carry side arms with magazine capacities greater than 10 rounds.
On second thought maybe I won’t vote for Measure Z. Maybe Measure Z should be two measures, one for the streets and roads at half of one percent and one for the police department at half of one percent.
Norman Michael, N. Lakeport
The answer
Elect Hillary in November and impeach her in January.
Brent Pomeroy, Lakeport
