It's Politics:

MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION ISSUE HITS WHITTIER CITY COUNCIL

The marijuana legalization issue hit the Whittier City Council this week.

And there was a 3-2 vote in essence to come out against Prop. 19.
However, four votes were needed to put it on the agenda so it fell one short.

Councilman Joe Vinatieri asked to put it on the agenda so the council
could take a position on it.

"Proposition 19 would legalize marijuana although it's illegal under
federal law," Vinatieri said. "There's a very good chance the feds
will come and sue to enjoin it. There's also a good chance that
(federal) money given to cities, such as Whittier, would be in jeopardy."

However, Councilmen Bob Henderson and Owen Newcomer opposed putting
it on the agenda - it came up near the end of a 4 1/2 hour meeting -
and for the city to even take a position.

"I don't think it can be an urgency matter," Henderson said. "We
could easily have had it prepared for this agenda."

Newcomer said unless the issue is of great local importance, he
doesn't think the council should take positions on state or national issues.

"The council (two years ago) was asked to take a position on the war
against Iraq," he said. "We wisely didn't."

Mayor Greg Nordbak and Councilwoman Cathy Warner supported Vinatieri
in seeking to put it on the agenda.

Still, Henderson said that although he believes that marijuana should
be legalized, he opposes Proposition 19 because it has no controls or
standards in the way that Advertisement alcoholic beverages do now.

This was the last meeting to take a position because the council
won't meet until after the Nov. 2 election.

But as a result of the vote, Newcomer then asked the council to take
positions on four of the ballot propositions.

He got no support other than some admiration for how he could speak
so eloquently on each.

"I like Owen's comment," Henderson said. "Let's leave it alone.
Thanks for the plug on all of those. I thought you did a beautiful job."