Calif. initiative avalanche makes signatures more valuable
By Christopher Cadelago, Sacramento Bee
The voice on the telephone recording could have been that of a stockbroker in a bull market. Instead, it was the head of a firm that collects signatures for proposed initiatives scrambling to qualify for California’s November ballot.
Carl Towe’s call-in service provides updates on the unprecedented and rapidly rising cost for signatures on more than one dozen measures in circulation. A 25-year veteran of the business, Towe ended a recent message with a cheery instruction to petitioners: “Make the hay while the sun shines.”
This year, the light is blinding. As campaigns rush to beat their qualification deadlines, political veterans say the value of each name on the petitions voters sign, combined with the number of petitions on the street, is unprecedented.
Signatures for Gov. Jerry Brown’s parole initiative are $5 apiece. For a measure to raise the tobacco tax, $4. For recreational marijuana legalization, $2. Petitions in a typical year may start at $1 and work their way up based on how they are producing.
On behalf of the 300 members of the American Medical Marijuana Association, please DO NOT SIGN THE RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION INITIATIVE. Our members are very concerned about adding 62 pages of new rules, regulations, fines, penalties and jail time, just to legalize one ounce — which is already just a $100 non reportable ticket. Under the proposed “legalization initiative,” possession of over an ounce is a six month jail term.
–Steve Kubby, Executive Director
The American Medical Marijuana Association
On behalf of the 300 members of the American Medical Marijuana Association, please DO NOT SIGN THE RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION INITIATIVE. Our members are very concerned about adding 62 pages of new rules, regulations, fines, penalties and jail time, just to legalize one ounce — which is already just a $100 non reportable ticket. Under the proposed “legalization initiative,” possession of over an ounce is a six month jail term.
–Steve Kubby, Executive Director
The American Medical Marijuana Association