AMMA Press Release: Mendocino Bound by Election Statement

Release Date: April 17, 2007 Contacts: Steve Kubby, National Director The American Medical Marijuana Association (AMMA) http://www.americanmarijuana.org/ 707-964-7743 Board of Supervisors Office bos@co.mendocino.ca.us (707) 463-4221 (707) 463-4245 Fax Mendocino Bound by Election Statement UKIAH -- In the election of 2000, the County of Mendocino officially told voters what to expect if Measure G passed in the coming election: "This ordnance prevents the Board of Supervisors, the Sheriff, the District Attorney, the Auditor-Controller and the Treasurer-Tax Collector from spending or authorizing the expenditure of public funds or authorizing or approving any form-of payment should such expenditures be made for the investigation, arrest or prosecution of any person, or the seizure of any property in any single case involving twenty-five(25) or fewer adult flowering female marijuana plants or the equivalent in dried marijuana." Six years later officials are still violating Measure G, while the Auditor-Controller and the Treasurer-Tax Collector are also implicated in this violation of law and of the will of the voters. The County of Mendocino is legally and ethically bound to upholding the version of Measure G that they presented to the voters, not the version that was adopted later to avoid implementing this ordinance. Enclosed below is the full text of what the County of Mendocino officially told voters: MEASURE G IMPARTIAL ANALYSIS MEASURE PRESENTED TO THE VOTERS OF MENDOCINO COUNTY PROPOSING ADOPTION OF AN INITIATIVE ORDINANCE TITLED "CANNABIS PERSONAL USE ORDINANCE FOR MENDOCINO COUNTY.'' This measures seeks voter approval for the adoption of a Mendocino County ordinance titled, " Cannabis Personal Use Ordinance For Mendocino County." This ordinance provides as follows: Expresses the desire of the people of Mendocino County that cultivation for personal use of cannabis be decriminalized in California. Ordinance directs the Board of Supervisors of Mendocino County to lobby state and federal governments for immediate decriminalization of the personal use of cannabis by seeking repeal of California Health and Safety code Sections 11357 (possession), 11358 (transportation), and 11359 (cultivation). Urges the Sheriff and District Attorney of Mendocino County to publicly support decriminalization. This ordinance seeks to limit the budgetary authority of the Board of Supervisors with respect to the following: Through its budgeting authority the Board of Supervisors is mandated to ensure that the Sheriff's office and District Attorney give lowest priority to the enforcement and prosecution of marijuana laws. The Board of Supervisors is mandated to ensure through its budgetary authority that the Sheriff's office makes no arrests and issues no citation, and that the District Attorneys shall not prosecute any violations of Health and Safety Code Sections 11357, 11358, and 11359 in any single case involving twenty-five (25 Or fewer adult flowering female marijuana plants or the equivalent in dried marijuana. This ordnance prevents the Board of Supervisors, the Sheriff, the District Attorney, the Auditor-Controller and the Treasurer-Tax Collector from spending or authorizing the expenditure of public funds or authorizing or approving any form-of payment should such expenditures be made for the investigation, arrest or prosecution of any person, or the seizure of any property in any single case involving twenty-five(25) or fewer adult flowering female marijuana plants or the equivalent in dried marijuana. The ordinance mandates the Board of Supervisors to instruct the Sheriff's Office and the District Attorney to report on December 1 of each year regarding marijuana law enforcement and prosecution activities engaged in by those offices and by state, federal, and other law enforcement agencies within the County of Mendocino. This measure requires voter approval by a simple majority vote of the qualified voters, A YES vote will be a vote in favor of adoption of the proposed ordinance. A No vote will be a vote against the adoption of the proposed ordinance. Date: June 5, 2000 s/H. PETER KLEIN County Counsel County of Mendocino ###