PITCO HIGH ON POT INITIATIVE

The hot-button issues of legalizing marijuana and recognizing the
rights of same-sex partners drew the unanimous support of Pitkin
County commissioners on Wednesday.

With virtually no comments during its regular meeting, the
commissioners unanimously passed resolutions on six state ballot
issues coming before voters Nov. 7, including Amendment 44, which
legalizes possession of small amounts of marijuana for adults. The
commissioners had debated the question at length at a work session
earlier this month, said chair Mick Ireland. At that time there was
some hesitation about what kind of message the board's endorsement
would send to kids.

"But we're not convinced that legalizing something for adults
necessarily means that children will follow," said Ireland.

The commissioners' resolution supporting Amendment 44 says "it
strikes an appropriate balance between public safety and individual
choice that persons 21 years of age or older who can legally possess
and consume alcohol should be able to choose to legally possess and
consume small quantities of marijuana in non-public places."

That's basically the argument of the group that successfully
petitioned to put the initiative on the ballot. Safer Alternative For
Enjoyable Recreation, or SAFER, argues that marijuana should be
treated the same as alcohol, and that booze is actually much more
harmful than pot.

But the "overriding issue" for the commissioners, said Ireland, "is
the massive diversion of resources" used in enforcing existing drug
laws. He and the other commissioners are concerned that the state's
prison system -- which houses many petty drug offenders -- severely
taxes the prison system.

"The consequences (of keeping pot completely illegal) are worse than
the benefits," said Commissioner Jack Hatfield.

Commissioner Patti Clapper, who said she is neither condoning drug
use nor smoking, said that she supported the resolution because
having pot use on one's record can be such a hassle later in life.

Denver voters passed a similar initiative last year, and
decriminalization efforts are or have been on ballots in 11 states.
Even if Amendment 44 passes, however, adult possession of marijuana
would be illegal under federal law.

The commissioners also supported Referendum I, which would establish
legal domestic partnerships. Its purpose is to give same-sex couples
the same rights and protections as married couples -- such as
inheritance rights, joint insurance coverage, and hospital visitation
- -- "all the benefits of marriage except the expensive wedding
ceremony," said Ireland.

Another ballot measure, Amendment 43, would change the Colorado
constitution to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman.
The commissioners passed a resolution in opposition to that.

Other statewide issues that the commissioners took a stand on were:

* support of Amendment 42, which would raise the minimum wage to
$6.85 per hour.

The Aspen City Council took a position last month in favor of
Referendum I supporting same-sex partnerships, and opposed Amendment
38, the citizen petition initiative. At a recent council meeting,
elected officials affirmed their opposition to term limits for judges.