SAN FRANCISCO VOTES EASY ON POT, HARD ON HOMELESS

SAN FRANCISCO -- Voters showed compassion for sick people by approving a
proposition supporting medical marijuana, but their sympathy ran out when
it came to the homeless in a pair of only-in-San Francisco ballot measures.

With all precincts reporting Tuesday, 63 percent of voters supported a
measure that would allow the city to explore the possibility of growing and
distributing pot for medical marijuana patients. It was the first measure
of its kind in the nation, and was intended to send a message to federal
authorities who have raided medical marijuana distribution facilities in
California.

"I think it speaks very strongly to the city's interest in pursuing the
idea further and at the core of that interest is concern for the health and
well being of many thousands of patients," said Mark Leno, who authored the
measure. "The question is access."

Leno said the next step would involve the formation of a committee to
research options and hold public hearings. Within a year, that committee
will make its recommendations to the Board of Supervisors.

Voters were not so benevolent when it came to the homeless, stripping them
of most of their monthly cash allowances.

Fifty-nine percent of voters supported the "Care Not Cash" initiative that
would reduce the $320-to-$390 monthly cash allowances for the homeless --
which some critics argue often is used for liquor or drugs -- to as little
as $59 a month. The rest would be reallocated to create more services and
affordable housing.

A gentler competing measure that would not have reduced the cash allowance
for families, pregnant women and senior citizens lost, with 51 percent of
voters opposing it.

Some precincts in San Francisco, which has a recent history of
election-night problems, were forced to stay open about a half-hour late
because they ran low on ballots due to unexpectedly high turnout.

John Arntz, the acting elections director, confirmed that at least two
precincts ran out of ballots. Earlier, Arntz said as many as 100 of the
city's 632 precincts could have been affected.

"I think that people had an opportunity to vote," Arntz said. "I'm very
proud of the department."

Fifty-four percent of voters also approved a $1.6 billion bond measure to
overhaul an aging water system that serves 2.4 million customers.
Fifty-three percent of voters opposed a measure that would have enabled the
city to buy its own electricity.