Pubdate: Sat, 28 Aug 2010 Source: Gazette, The (Colorado Springs, CO) Copyright: 2010 The Gazette Contact: http://www.gazette.com/sections/opinion/submitletter/ Website: http://www.gazette.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/165 Author: - Wayne Laugesen , editorial page editor, for the editorial board. SHERIFF TAKES AN HONORABLE STAND Maketa Says Pot Moratorium Would Do Harm Monument Police Chief Jacob Shirk is a respectable, qualified lawman and a person of integrity. He would have made a good sheriff. But he didn't stand a chance in his recent primary race against Sheriff Terry Maketa. Maketa won by a landslide because he serves with honor and there was no reason to throw him out. Maketa has been honest with the public, letting people know they are their best first-line of defense against crime. He has encouraged law-abiding individuals to learn about guns and consider obtaining concealed handgun permits. He has stated his refusal to jail anyone who violates a campus weapons ban, thus placing priority on the rights of students to protect themselves against predators. As others whined about resources, Maketa stepped up to resolve the region's seemingly intractable need for a detoxification facility. Maketa's integrity was on display again Thursday, in front of the El Paso County Board of Commissioners. The board voted 4-1 to indulge political opportunism by placing a moratorium on medical marijuana stores on the November ballot. By doing so, commissioners probably hoped to establish their anti-drug credentials. Only Commissioner Jim Bensberg declined to support the measure. All over Colorado, leading cops and prosecutors have done their best to close medical marijuana stores. None has explained how banning taxpaying, regulated dispensaries will prevent the enrichment of the old black market trade that devours public resources and despises medical marijuana stores. Most just know that opposing the stores may appear anti-drug to the electorate. Despite the fact that nearly everyone else in top law enforcement publicly hates marijuana stores, Maketa spoke truth. He said a ban would push the trade out of business parks and into neighborhoods, creating difficulties for law enforcement. "It could create a bigger problem and more unintended consequences," Maketa said. He told commissioners that any ballot issue seeking a ban on stores should come with a grandfather clause. "I think there needs to be fairness here," Maketa said. "Individuals who have made investments should not be lumped with those who sell marijuana out the back door." Commissioner Sallie Clark proposed Maketa's suggested grandfather clause, but her motion was defeated. Fortunately, it's hard to imagine voters approving a county moratorium. It would be in their own worst interest to create more criminal, underground drug dealing by outlawing taxpaying, regulated, store-front sellers. Sheriff Maketa could have stood with most ranking law enforcers in Colorado and a majority of his own county's politicians. Instead, he took a genuinely anti-drug stance by defending a lawful trade - one that's destroying a criminal black market that has long enjoyed a government-protected monopoly. Other politicians should learn from Sheriff Maketa. Few have won primaries by 3-to-1 margins. Voters crave politicians with integrity and honor. - - Wayne Laugesen , editorial page editor, for the editorial board. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D