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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW 44-bed facility for Alzheimer's patients planned north of Ashland ... Medford man charged in 'road rage' incidents ... Lawsuit revived against Jackie O's half-brother, an Ashland resident ... 44-bed facility for Alzheimer's patients planned north of Ashland ... Medford man charged in 'road rage' incidents ... Lawsuit revived against Jackie O's half-brother, an Ashland resident ... OUR VIEW Our View: Marijuana sausage, anyone? Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jun. 17, 2015 at 12:01 AM Posted Jun. 17, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News When it comes to getting laws passed, compromise can be a good thing — or it can make a mockery of the democratic process. The last-minute deal struck in Salem on marijuana regulation falls squarely in the latter category. Despite the Democrats' control of both houses of the Legislature, they caved in to Senate Republican Leader Ted Ferrioli of John Day and agreed to allow local governments to ban the sale of recreational marijuana in their jurisdictions if voters in those areas overwhelmingly opposed the legalization initiative Measure 91, which easily passed statewide. The local ban language applies to the 15 counties where least 55 percent of voters said no to Measure 91. All are east of the Cascades. Parts of eight of them are in Ferrioli's district. Measure 91 itself allows localities to ban retail sales — if local voters approve. The compromise bill that passed the House-Senate marijuana committee Monday and moved to the House floor turns that intent on its head. Now, voters who disagree with a local ban on sales can reverse the decision, but only if they mount a referendum campaign. The bill also would allow local bans on medical marijuana dispensaries. Let's be clear that the Legislature is on firm legal ground here. Measure 91 made statutory changes to Oregon law. The Legislature is free to repeal the entire measure if it chooses to, or to make any changes it sees fit. Lawmakers frequently are called on to fix badly written or misguided citizen initiatives when they result in unintended consequences. Of course,when they do, they often are accused of ignoring the will of the voters. But this is the first time we can think of that the Legislature is poised to decide that the will of the majority of voters statewide can be ignored only in parts of the state that disagreed. Last we checked, it would not be possible for voters in Jackson County, for example, to refuse to recognize the elected governor of the state because they had backed another candidate. Or, for that matter, for a county that supported a failed ballot measure to declare it state law anyway, just in that jurisdiction. The compromise bill that passed out of committee Monday does have some redeeming features. For one thing, any localities that elect to ban marijuana sales will give up any share of statewide taxes on retail sales — preserving a key clause in the original Measure 91. The retail point-of-sale tax — another departure from Measure 91, which taxes the producer instead — is contained in another bill that is still pending. The bill also would require that packaging of edible marijuana products disclose potency and ingredients, and not be marketed toward children. Testing also would be required to detect contaminants. Setting up anything as sweeping as a statewide legal marijuana industry from scratch is bound to be complicated. But it seems that Oregon's lawmakers are making it even more complicated than it needs to be.       MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jun. 17, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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