IF STATE OKs POT, REDDING MIGHT NOT

Redding will take a dry run Tuesday at whether the city will be a
"dry" town should California voters legalize recreational marijuana use.

Early indications are a council majority would not favor allowing
recreational marijuana stores to crop up among the 19 heavily
regulated medicinal cannabis clubs already operating within city limits.

Police Chief Peter Hansen on Tuesday will urge the City Council to go
on record opposing Prop. 19, the marijuana legalization initiative on
the November ballot.

Reached for comment Friday, most council members were leaning in
favor of taking a stand against Prop. 19.

"The city absolutely should come out against Prop. 19 for a variety
of reasons," said council member Dick Dickerson, who has supported
medicinal marijuana with restrictions.

Council member Mary Stegall, who has also supported medicinal
cannabis, has said she draws the line at legalizing recreational use.

Mayor Patrick Jones has consistently opposed marijuana consumption of
any kind, arguing it remains illegal under federal law despite
California's Compassionate Use Act.

Council member Rick Bosetti declined to comment Friday, saying he
wanted to hear what Chief Hansen and others will say before
considering whether the city should oppose Prop. 19.

Vice Mayor Missy McArthur, who has favored taxing medicinal cannabis
and recreational marijuana use, also said Friday she wants to hear
what others say at the Tuesday meeting.

Redding resident James Benno, who heads the Northern California
chapter of NORML, has strongly criticized the city's medicinal
cannabis regulations as too intrusive and restrictive.

Benno was astounded Friday the council will consider a stand opposing Prop. 19.

"They are violating patient's rights, and they are trying to
blackball the legalization movement," Benno said. "They want to
complain about how broke they are, and now they are turning their
backs on a potential revenue source. We need a new council."

The League of California Cities and the California Police Chiefs
Association, among other state and local organizations, are
encouraging cities to adopt resolutions against Prop. 19, according
to a council report.

The measure, if voters approve, would allow people 21 and older to
possess up to an ounce of marijuana and grow up to 25 square feet of
the plant for personal use.

Prop. 19 would also allow cities and counties to tax and regulate the
drug and the plant.

Criminal and civil penalties against driving under the influence,
selling drugs to minors and showing up to work stoned would apply
under Prop. 19.

But the resolution up for adoption Tuesday says public and private
employers would have no recourse against workers using marijuana in
the permitted manner.

Prop. 19 may cost cities federal funds under the Federal Drug-Free
Work Place Act of 1988, according to the council report.

Local governments could ban recreational marijuana use outright,
under the proposed law.

Council members drew a sharp distinction between medicinal cannabis
and recreational marijuana at a meeting July 20, when they declined
to pursue a ballot measure taxing the herb.

A council majority was unwilling to consider raising the gross
receipts tax cannabis clubs, saying such a tax would hurt poorer
people who may most need the medicine.

Council members at that meeting decided to wait until after November
to address how the city will deal with recreational marijuana use,
should it become legal.

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IF YOU GO

What: Redding City Council meeting.

When: 4 p.m. Tuesday.

Where: Council chambers, 777 Cypress Ave.

Agenda includes: Oasis Road interchange, Prop. 19, landscape
maintenance district fees.