Medical Marijuana and Law Enforcement

The recent public outcry against Florida's Medical Marijuana Amendment by law enforcement may have caught some by surprise.

Since the medical benefits of marijuana have been well documented, why would law enforcement put one of its most visible symbols, Grady Judd, at the forefront of their opposition?

It is also worthy to note that Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri has also expressed his opposition.

The argument is that Amendment 2 is just the beginning and ultimately marijuana in all forms will become legal.

I believe it is the full legalization that is the real problem for law enforcement.

Marijuana is big business for the growers, distributors and street dealers.

 It is also big business for law enforcement.

From forfeiture and seizure to public funding for the war on drugs from local taxes and federal grants for everything from prisons, equipment and personnel, law enforcement is a major beneficiary of the marijuana industry.  

In St. Petersburg, forfeiture and seizure revenue is a tracked attribute of the Police department.

Make marijuana legal and most of that money simply goes away.

The problem is after years of indoctrination; law enforcement has convinced itself that marijuana is the scourge of society justifying arrests, forfeiture and seizure.

Take away all of those incarcerated for minor marijuana offenses and the laws that allow their arrest and every level of law enforcement from cops, to prosecutors, public defenders and prisons loose "customers" and potentially a massive flow of revenue.

It is way past time to stop ruining the lives of young people before they even get a chance with marijuana arrests and convictions.

Our prison system has become the "crime college" where kids go and get an education in the only work option left after "drug" arrest: crime.

Don't be swayed by what I believe is a self serving effort on the part of those who oppose Amendment 2.

They have no real case so they try to scare you.

You can find out more about Amendment 2 the Medical Marijuana Initiative by clicking the link.

Amendment 2 is the right thing to do.

E-mail Doc at: dr.webb@verizon.net. Or send me a Facebook (Gene Webb) Friend request. Please comment below, and be sure to share on Facebook and Twitter.
Disclosures: Contributor to No Tax for Tracks.

IS THIS LEGAL?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ST. PETERSBURG, FL (September 2, 2014) – While supplies last, Greenlight Pinellas yard signs will be available for residents to pick up during normal business hours in the lobby of St. Petersburg City Hall, 175 Fifth St. N, the city’s Municipal Services Center, One Fourth St. N., Sunken Gardens, 1825 Fourth St. N. and at the following recreation centers. Limit one per residence please.

 

Azalea Recreation Center
Bay Vista Recreation Center
Campbell Park Recreation Center
Childs Park Recreation Center
Enoch Davis Center
Frank W. Pierce Recreation Center
Gladden Park Center
J.W. Cate Recreation Center
Lake Vista Recreation Center
Roberts Recreation Center
Shore Acres Recreation Center
Sunshine Center
Walter Fuller Recreation Center
Wildwood Recreation Center
Willis S. Johns Recreation Center

On November 4, 2014, Pinellas County voters will be asked to approve a one percent increase in the county2’s sales tax to overhaul the area’s public transportation system. The Greenlight Pinellas Plan will reduce the median St. Petersburg homeowner’s property taxes by 6%. The plan’s substantially expanded public transit services will be funded by a 1% sales tax, paid in part by non-residents while eliminating the current public transit property tax paid only by property owners.

 The Greenlight Pinellas Plan was developed as a partnership between PSTA, local governments, other transportation agencies, and the community. More than 90,000 citizens, business and community leaders, and other stakeholders contributed to the development of the plan.

 The plan includes a network of rapid bus services, more frequent local routes, more evening and weekend service, improved trolley services, new regional express routes, improved connector service, and passenger rail. If approved, Greenlight Pinellas will provide new and expanded services for the citizens of St. Petersburg.www.stpete.org/GreenlightPinellas.

 Watch My Video Green Light - It's a Bad Law before you vote.

E-mail Doc at: dr.webb@verizon.net. Or send me a Facebook (Gene Webb) Friend request. Please comment below, and be sure to share on Facebook and Twitter.
Disclosures: Contributor to No Tax for Tracks.

Sunday August 31 2014 Racial Issues and the City of St. Petersburg

Racial issues continue to bubble in the St. Petersburg City Government.

Christopher O'Donnell has an article in the Tampa Bay Times, St. Pete orders sensitivity training and Kameel Stanly in the Tampa Bay Times, Black workers take concerns, complaints to St. Pete City Council.  Both are well worth your time to read

From the Stanley article:

"We have real issues here," said Robin Wynn, a stormwater worker who recently filed an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaint against the city for what she calls discriminatory treatment. "This city promotes institutional racism."

The quote above, "This city promotes institutional racism," caught my eye.

I spent almost 30 years with the City of St. Pete, well over half of them as a manager, and my first reaction was: No, the City doesn't promote racism.

Then I reread it. "This City promotes institutional racism," I thought about the word institutional and my view changed.

Over my time at the City of St. Petersburg there were numerous studies on diversity, racial balance and a host of sensitivity training sessions and yet here we are still dealing with the issue.

Why?

The conclusion I have come to is: the reason nothing changed is because nothing ever really changed. Read that last sentence again. 

The people who perpetrate these acts never pay the price for their actions.

All of this brought me back to an experience in may early career as a manger with the City in the mid 80s when after promoting a couple of African American employees, a fellow manager stopped me in the hall and asked "you every gonna promote any white people?"

That spirit still exists as typified in this past week's events.

Studies are great they keep consultants employed, sensitivity training rarely produces any results and I have memories of laughing and mocking by managers and supervisors following this type of training.

In fact, if you set near the back of the room, you can just keep working away on your I pad and get a check mark on your HR form for sensitivity training.

When racial retaliation or discrimination occurs there must be a high price extracted from those who commit it because the victims are paying a high price.

What has been sorely lacking in the St. Pete government up to now is definitive action.

The will to actually fire people who commit racial acts no matter who they are, who they know, who their relatives are and  how long they may have been employed by the City.

Whether or not they may sue the City should not be a limiting factor on deciding someone who commits these acts should be fired if we really believe in equality.

And just moving these people to another job simply moves the problem. You probably would not want your doctor just moving the cancer from one part of your body to another.

From Christopher O'Donnell:

“Based upon the results, we’ll design a citywide cultural competence program,” City Administrator Gary Cornwell said. “That will take a little longer because of the process.”

Gary Cornwell was HR Director for decades before he became City Administrator, he and most of the longer term Directors and Mangers know where the problems are and who most of the bad apples are.

It's time to call some people in and just tell them they're through.  If they can retire so be it, if not they're simply unemployed. That will send the message and change the culture.

The Kriseman administration has already shown it's willing to act when given the facts.

They move a little slower at times than I would like, but you can't short them on their courage to act on what they believe is right and changing the racial culture at the City of St. Petersburg is the right thing to do.

E-mail Doc at: dr.webb@verizon.net. Or send me a Facebook (Gene Webb) Friend request. Please comment below, and be sure to share on Facebook and Twitter and e-mail to your friends.
Disclosures: Contributor to No Tax for Tracks.

Thirteen Elected Officials who openly Support Lying to the Public and Misusing Federal Funds

PSTA CEO Brad Miller

If you would like to meet 13 elected officials who openly support lying to the public and misusing Federal funds click here: PSTA Board of Directors

 

The actions of the PSTA Board of Directors mystifies the mind.

Ken Welch PSTA Board Chairman

The PSTA Board has a letter from a federal agency that clearly indicates there may have been civil and criminal activity by their chosen administrator. 

They give him and their Chairman a unanimous vote of confidence.

Not a "mistake" a deliberate violation of a grant in an attempt to promote the Greenlight sales tax referendum.

The total response of Miller and Welch, "we made a mistake it won't happen again". What they mean is they will more cautions so they won't get caught.

I thought you might like to get to know these people you elected so when you see them you can thank them for their service. Click here: PSTA Board of Directors

You might also want to remember these names the next time you seem them on a ballot.

There are two citizen members on the PSTA Board. The often ask good questions, seldom get any answers from their fellow board members or the administration. 

When politically hot items like this misuse of funds issue arise both have that deer in the headlights look, and it seems to me they know what they should ask, but also know if they ask their ride on the PSTA, dais will likely end. 

You can get contact information here: PSTA Board of Directors

 

Here are 13 really good reasons to vote NO on Greenlight. 

Just imagine what these people will do with a yes vote on Greenlight and $130 million dollars a year of your tax money to play with. 

Watch My Video Green Light - It's a Bad Law before you vote.

E-mail Doc at: dr.webb@verizon.net. Or send me a Facebook (Gene Webb) Friend request. Please comment below, and be sure to share on Facebook and Twitter.
Disclosures: Contributor to No Tax for Tracks

PSTA Board Meeting - Public Comment a Waste of Time

It became abundantly clear at the PSTA Board meeting that spending time and energy riling at the PSTA Board of Directors hoping for an epiphany is a waste of time.

You can hurl all the innuendos you want all they do is respond in kind through their chairman and everyone comes off looking petty.

All of these so called public servants jumped on the Greenlight train to support their CEO's outside the law actions and their Chairman's undying support for whatever Brad Miller may do.

Interestingly some of them don't know the difference between voting for something and raising their hands in approval.

Why all the unanimous votes? Simple. If you break ranks you will lose that nice plush seat on the PSTA Dias, that little bit of PSTA pampering that makes you feel soooo good, and a day away from your real work.  Don't think so? Ask Norm Roche former Pinellas County Commissioner.

Welch got little hot at the meeting need a fan to cool down.  Probably all that needs to be said.

Rather than go through this debacle again, which really accomplishes nothing, it is time to stay off the PSTA meeting agenda and focus on the street. All of the folks on the dais are voting yes to whatever Miller and Welch want and nothing will change their mind.

I am tired of seeing people attacked for what kind of car they drive, the opinions they have and the positions they take by people whose salaries they pay.

They love Brad Miller and Ken Welch.

The PSTA CEO can do pretty much whatever he wants

The lying will likely continue, the cheating will likely continue, using public funds to convince voters to vote yes will continue and there is not one person in a position of authority that will say or do anything about it.

So from now to November 4th let's just call it what it is.

Greenlight is a $2.2 Billion dollar boondoggle designed to take $130 Million a year and more out of the Pinellas County economy and give it to a public organization run by people you elect who don't respect you or your hard earned money.

If you're OK with that vote yes.

If you're not, get a No Tracks for Tax Yard sign, plant it in your yard and then tell them how you feel on November 4th at the ballot box.

Vote  NO.

That's one comment they can't hurl back in your face.

E-mail Doc at: dr.webb@verizon.net. Or send me a Facebook (Gene Webb) Friend request. Please comment below, and be sure to share on Facebook and Twitter.
Disclosures: Contributor to No Tax for Tracks.