Pubdate: Tue, 02 Oct 2012
Source: Western Front, The (Western Washington Univ., WA Edu)
Copyright: 2012 The Western Front
Contact:  http://westernfrontonline.net
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/994
Author: Olivia Henry

ADVOCATES CLASH OVER STATE BALLOT MEASURES

The gallery was full in the Bellingham City Council chambers Saturday
for a discussion of statewide ballot measures that will appear on the
Nov. 6 docket.

The forum, sponsored by the League of Women Voters of
Bellingham/Whatcom County, touched on three of the state's most hotly
contested issues: marijuana (I-502), charter schools (I-1240) and
marriage equality (Ref. 74).

Initiative 502

League member Jill Bernstein moderated dueling speakers on Initiative
Measure No. 502, which would legalize state-licensed marijuana for
those over 21 years of age.

Prominent local law enforcement, criminal justice and public heath
professionals have endorsed I-502, including former U.S. Attorney for
Western Washington John McKay and former Seattle Police Chief Norm
Stamper. Sixteen Washington state legislators gave their approval of
the legislation in May.

Speaking in favor of the initiative, Dave Nichols, a retired Whatcom
County Superior Court judge and longtime legalization advocate,
characterized current drug policy as a cure far worse than the disease.

"I sat on literally hundreds of drug cases and I can tell you after 20
years I am so fed up with those cases and how they gum up the courts,"
Nichols said.

Possession of 40 grams or less of marijuana is a misdemeanor carrying
a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine, according to
Washington state law. More than 40 grams is felony with a maximum
5-year sentence and $10,000 fine.

Nichols said prosecuting marijuana pushes civil cases to the
backburner, crowds prisons and burdens taxpayers. A 2012 Department of
Corrections report puts the number of imprisoned drug offenders at 8.7
percent of the total 18,000 people in confinement in the state. During
2011, the cost per offender in prison and work release programs was
about $100 per day, according to the Department of
Corrections.

Steve Sarich, manager and spokesman for the "No On 1-502" campaign,
urged voters to reject the measure. Sarich represents users, growers
and distributors of medicinal pot who say the initiative's D.U.I.
provision exposes them to legal risk. More than five nanograms of
active THC in a driver's blood would be considered legal impairment
and result in conviction. I-502 opponents say medical users often
surpass that.

Sarich prefaced his opening statement with evidence to I-502's
potential drawbacks for his fellow medical marijuana patients.

"I'm sorry if I seem impaired this morning," Sarich said. "I wake up
with four times the legal limit for impairment that is called for in
I-502."

The Office of Financial Management estimated I-502's D.U.I. provision
would generate $4.259 million in fee revenue. If the initiative's
proposed marijuana market did succeed, the office's report puts the
potential state revenue from sales at $1.9 billion within the first
five years. The total state revenue during fiscal year 2011 was $16
billion.

Instead of unburdening the legal system, Sarich argued, the initiative
would put more people in prison.

"This law is all about the new strategy of the war on drugs," Sarich
said. "It does not remove one single criminal penalty form the state
law on marijuana. It just adds new ones that will criminalize
thousands in the state of Washington."

Referendum 74

Debating the referendum on marriage equality, state Rep. Kristine
Lytton (D-40) squared off with Chip White, the communications director
for Preserve Marriage Washington. Lytton represents an area including
Whatcom, Skagit and San Juan counties.

Urging voters to reject Ref. 74, Preserve Marriage Washington's White
said a "redefinition" of marriage would violate the time-honored
institution of marriage between one man and one woman. He also said
businesses that oppose same-sex marriage would face economic hardship
should Ref. 74 be approved.

"The question is will business face serious negative consequences if
marriage is redefined? The answer is yes," White said, citing the
summer's widespread protests against Chick-Fil-A President Dan Cathy,
after he openly opposed same-sex marriage.

While the response of individual businesses is mixed, studies by the
University of California, Los Angeles' The Williams Institute found
same-sex marriages added up to $13 million to Iowa's economy within
the first year.

Seventy-six-year-old Marian Beddill was also in favor of same-sex
marriage. Bedill, a transgender woman, said presenter White's
depiction of gender was flawed.

"He talks about tradition. He said that because [he thinks if] it is
traditional, it is therefore right," Bedill said. "There are so many
examples in the world and our nation that show history was wrong and
we fixed it."

In Massachusetts, where marriage equality has been legal since 2004,
the institute found that as of 2009, same-sex marriages boosted the
state's economy by $111 million.

Lytton, who spoke in support of same-sex marriage, told the forum
crown, which was largely comprised of elderly citizens, to consider
future generations when voting on Ref. 74.

A September poll by SurveyUSA for Seattle's King 5 TV found that 56
percent of surveyed voters would approve Ref. 74. Sixty-seven percent
of 18-34 year olds support the measure, but the polls shows only 43
percent approval among those 65 and older.

"My children are in their early 20s and they accept this very, very
readily," Lytton said. "It's my generation, the older generation that
have really struggled with this prospect."

Initiative 1240

Rep. Lytton debated League of Educator Voters co-founder Lisa
MacFarlane to discuss Initiative 1240, which would introduce public
charter schools to Washington state.

Although charter schools were created to address the needs of those
student failed by the traditional education system, performance
reviews have been mixed. Lytton referenced a 2009 Stanford study of 70
percent of charter school students that found only 17 percent of
charter schools outperformed traditional public schools.
Thirty-seven

percent fared worse and 46 percent showed no difference.

MacFarlane argued I-1240 is critical because low-income and English
Language Learner students were more successful in charter schools.

"They are not all perfect, but I feel some urgency about serving kids
who are not making it today in our traditional public schools,"
MacFarlane said.

Lytton said the school system should devote its energies to improving
known problems in education instead of creating a parallel system.
Lytton also cited concerns about the level of accountability charter
schools have to publicly elected bodies.

Charters can opt to be overseen by a local school board, (elected) or
by a state commission (appointed).

"You lose your voice with this initiative because it takes away local
control and local decision making," Lytton said. "The only thing
public about this is public money."

Charter school initiatives have been defeated in Washington three
times before, in 1996, 2000 and 2004.

Despite its persistent presence on the ballot, some forum-goers left
City Hall with lingering confusion about the charter issue. Louise
Phillips drove 30 minutes from Custer to attend the meeting and
admitted to leaving with "lots" of questions.

"It wasn't what I though it was! I thought charter schools were for
profit," she said.

The League of Women Voters of Bellingham/Whatcom will sponsor three
more public forums on candidates and ballot measures on Oct. 4, 11 and
13.
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MAP posted-by: Matt