County Board Okays Pot Referendum
Hope is that advisory referendum will push state legislators to act.
There will be a Nov. 6 advisory referendum on marijuana legalization in Milwaukee County.
The County Board voted, 15-1, Thursday to approve the referendum. The lone vote against it came from Supervisor Patti Logsdon, who had voted in favor when the referendum was before the Judiciary, Legislation and General Services Committee. Logsdon said she decided to change her vote after hearing from constituents.
The referendum question will ask, “Do you favor allowing adults 21 years of age and older to engage in the personal use of marijuana, while also regulating commercial marijuana-related activities, and imposing a tax on the sale of marijuana?”
County Supervisor John Weishan, Jr., the original sponsor of the measure, said during Thursday’s meeting that a referendum could prod the Legislature to take action on recreational and medical marijuana issues.
“We need to get them moving on those things today,” he said.
Supervisory Anthony Staskunas said he was not totally sold on the idea of legal recreational marijuana, but said that “it’s shameful” that a few state senators and representatives “have stood in the door and refused to allow medical marijuana to come to a vote in the State Legislature.”
Staskunas said he has a friend with a serious disease who gets relief from cannabis. He said he resented “that a very small group of legislators are turning” his friend “into a criminal.”
“In the meantime…there’s certainly nothing wrong with allowing the people of Milwaukee County to have their voice on this,” he said.
Supervisor Supreme Moore Omokunde supported the referendum and predicted nationwide cannabis legalization within five years. Moore Omokunde said he will be bringing forth legislation to expunge old marijuana offenses from criminal records.
Without expungement, he said, “There will be rich white men make their millions” while black men remain locked up for marijuana offenses.
Supervisors Moore Omokunde, Sequanna Taylor, Steven Shea, Marcelia Nicholson, Felesia Martin, Jason Haas, Dan Sebring, and Marina Dimitrijevic joined the resolution as co-sponsors.
Gretchen Schuldt writes a blog for Wisconsin Justice Initiative, whose mission is “To improve the quality of justice in Wisconsin by educating the public about legal issues and encouraging civic engagement in and debate about the judicial system and its operation.
More about the Legalizing of Marijuana
- Senator Agard Sends Letter to JFC Co-Chairs in Support of Keeping Legalization of Marijuana in State Budget - State Sen. Melissa Agard - Feb 10th, 2021
- Chairwoman Nicholson Supports County and State Efforts to End Marijuana Prohibition - County Board Chairwoman Marcelia Nicholson - Feb 10th, 2021
- MKE County: Resolution Cuts Pot Possession Fine to $1 - Graham Kilmer - Feb 9th, 2021
- Supervisor Ortiz-Velez Introduces Proposal Reducing Penalty for Marijuana Possession - Sup. Sylvia Ortiz-Velez - Feb 9th, 2021
- Wisconsin Would Use Marijuana Legalization to Pay For Education, Equity - Jeramey Jannene - Feb 7th, 2021
- Senator Agard Supports Governor Evers’ Budget Provision to Legalize and Tax Marijuana in Wisconsin - State Sen. Melissa Agard - Feb 7th, 2021
- Gov. Evers Proposes Legalizing Marijuana, Investing Portion of Revenue in Equity Initiatives and Rural Schools - Gov. Tony Evers - Feb 7th, 2021
- County Supervisors Back $1 Pot Penalty - Gretchen Schuldt - Feb 6th, 2021
- Cannabis Reform Gets Bipartisan Support - Isiah Holmes - Nov 8th, 2020
- A Day to Consider Legalizing Pot - Isiah Holmes - Apr 20th, 2020
Read more about Legalizing of Marijuana here