POLL PANS POT

But Tax Cap A Closer Bet

Juneau -- More than 60 percent of Alaskans surveyed in a recent poll oppose
a ballot measure that would legalize marijuana and other hemp products,
while 48 percent say they plan to vote against the property tax cap.

The results of the Alaska Poll conducted by Dittman Research of Anchorage
indicate less support for the marijuana initiative than its supporters had
claimed and a continued decline in support for the statewide property tax
initiative.

Of the 518 Alaska residents surveyed, 61 percent opposed the marijuana
measure, which would not only legalize pot and other hemp products but
provide amnesty and possible restitution for people convicted of
marijuana-related crimes in the past. Thirty-five percent favored the
measure, with 6 percent undecided. The poll taken between Sept. 21 and Oct.
1 has a sampling error of 4 percent.

On the property tax cap, only 39 percent of poll respondents said they
would vote for the initiative, while 13 percent were undecided. The
initiative would prevent municipalities from taxing at a rate higher than 1
percent, or $1,000 on a $100,000 house. It would also freeze assessments,
allowing them to rise no more than 2 percent a year for inflation. Property
would be reassessed to market value when sold or "newly constructed."

If the marijuana measure becomes law, pot would be regulated like alcohol
and anyone 18 or older could smoke it. Until 10 years ago, Alaskans were
allowed to have small amounts of marijuana by a 1975 Alaska Supreme Court
ruling. In 1990, voters recriminalized pot.

Alaskans voted to legalize marijuana for medical use two years ago. But
this year's sweeping legalization package appears to be in trouble.

"I think they overreached," Dave Dittman, president of Dittman Research,
pointing to the provisions allowing pot use by 18 year olds and giving
amnesty to marijuana criminals. "Those are pretty scary things to a lot of
people."

Among groups in the survey, only those aged 18 to 24 favored the measure.
In that group, 60 percent said they would vote for the initiative.

Sil De Chellis of Free Hemp in Alaska, one of four groups backing the
measure, said the organization's own polls showed the measure with more
than 50 percent support. However, he would not disclose details.

He defended the measure's amnesty provisions, calling them reasonable
elements of a campaign aimed at ending a failed and expensive war on pot users.

"The prisoners of war get to come home when the war's over," De Chellis said.

Wev Shea, a former U.S. Attorney and a leader of the campaign against the
marijuana initiative, was cautiously optimistic about the poll result.

"It's a good indication that the voters are becoming educated," Shea said.
"The main thing that concerns me about this thing is that the word isn't
getting out."

Opponents of the tax cap were also pleased with the survey, which showed
greater opposition to the initiative than a similar poll Dittman conducted
for a private client a month ago that showed the two sides in a statistical
dead heat.

Dittman provided the results of that survey to Alaskans United Against the
Cap and helped interpret them. However, both the campaign and the pollster
said they have no financial relationship.

Ira Perman, campaign coordinator for the group, said the survey validates
the campaign's strategy of using frequent public presentations to highlight
the cap's potential impact.

Opponents argue that the lost taxes would devastate education, cut into
essential services and damage the economy.

The cap has received intense attention in Anchorage from the news media.
Anchorage residents in the poll showed the strongest opposition, with 57
percent saying they would vote no.

"That part of the state that's had the most opportunity to look at it is
most strongly opposed to it," Perman said.

Poll respondents in the Fairbanks area and Southeast Alaska favored the
cap. In Fairbanks, 47 percent said they would vote yes, with 42 percent
opposed. Southeast residents favored the proposal 45 percent to 39 percent.

Uwe Kalenka, one of the tax cap initiative's sponsors, dismissed the poll
results as irrelevant.

"Quite frankly, we don't give much credence to the polls," Kalenka said.
"The only one that counts is on Nov. 8th."

Sponsors of the initiative say it would impose discipline on local budgets
and reduce the burden on homeowners for funding government.