Document text
0 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 OSP investigates meth use as cause for wrong-way I-5 crash ... Aid available for renters, first-time home buyers, but more needs to be done, advocates say ... North Medford grad takes film to two festivals ... OSP investigates meth use as cause for wrong-way I-5 crash ... Aid available for renters, first-time home buyers, but more needs to be done, advocates say ... North Medford grad takes film to two festivals ... MAIL TRIBUNE PANEL DISCUSSION A question of intent Buckley, Bates say Jackson County is misinterpreting new marijuana law Comment By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat MailTribune.com By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat Posted Mar. 10, 2016 at 7:16 PM Updated Mar 11, 2016 at 7:16 AM Rep. Peter Buckley and Sen. Alan Bates answer a question on the status of rules for the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program and how Jackson County is interpreting them. By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat Posted Mar. 10, 2016 at 7:16 PM Updated Mar 11, 2016 at 7:16 AM » Social News Jackson County's senior Democratic leaders in the Oregon Legislature say Jackson County is misinterpreting a new law regarding medical marijuana growing on rural residential land. "Right now, legislative council is not in agreement with how the law was interpreted here in Jackson County," Rep. Peter Buckley of Ashland told about 90 people packed into the Mail Tribune conference room Thursday. The paper sponsored the noon panel discussion to allow local lawmakers to answer questions regarding the 2016 session that ended March 3. Buckley and Sen. Alan Bates, of Medford, were the only two invited who attended the discussion. All the six Republicans invited had prior commitments or canceled. Many of those in the audience were growers upset over Jackson County's announcement that medical marijuana grows are illegal on rural residential land because the Legislature deemed marijuana growing a farm use, which isn't permitted. Buckley, who's been a longtime champion of legalized marijuana, said the legislative intent of the new law was to "grandfather in medical marijuana in rural residential wherever it exists in the state of Oregon," so that growers could also participate in the recreational marijuana market through the Oregon Liquor Control Commission. Jackson County officials are "interpreting the law to say, 'We must now disallow medical marijuana,'" Buckley said. "That is not the intent of the legislation." Buckley and Bates said they are awaiting the Office of Legislative Counsel to release a written interpretation of the new bill, which they hoped Jackson County officials would heed. "It might take a court decision, or it might take a legislative session in 2017 to get it right," Buckley said. Bates said it may take three or four years for marijuana laws to get ironed out, as Oregon is under federal scrutiny and also has right-to-farm laws and strict land-use laws. "It's a really big thing in Jackson and Josephine county because the climate and weather are perfect here for growing marijuana," Bates said. The two legislators answered myriad questions during the hour-and-a-half discussion, many of which were submitted by Mail Tribune readers beforehand. One reader questioned why the Legislature gave the Holly Theatre restoration project $1 million when so many people lacked access to mental health care. Bates and Buckley said donating to the Holly Theatre would help revitalize the economy and boost jobs, as would other such projects they funded during the short session. Bates took the opportunity to address what he considered Jackson County's failing mental health services. "It's a system that's not working in our county," Bates said. He contrasted Jackson County's locally operated mental health program to Josephine County's state-funded program, Options, which uses coordinated care organizations to provide a more comprehensive approach to treating mental illness and alcohol and drug addiction. Bates, a physician, said he knows of patients who have moved to Grants Pass in order to have access to Options. Bates said it's not a matter of funding, but systematic issues that keep his patients from getting the mental health and addiction services now, when they need it most. "If I get them an appointment within six to eight weeks, I'm lucky," Bates said. Bates and Buckley answered questions regarding a proposed tax on large businesses. Buckley explained that the proposed tax affects C corporations. "Most of them are not headquartered in Oregon," Buckley said, citing examples such as Target, McDonald's franchises and larger banks. "On Oregon sales over $25 million, there'd be a 2.5 percent gross receipts tax on those sales," Buckley said. Buckley dismissed the idea that businesses would leave Oregon, because avoiding the tax would require no longer doing any business in the state. He said there's no such thing as a "perfect tax," but the revenue is necessary. Buckley said since Measure 5 passed in 1990, education has been the state's responsibility without a revenue stream to support it. "This can finally answer the challenge we gave ourselves in 1990 and this will actually produce the revenue that's required to actually pay for a high-quality education system in the state of Oregon," Buckley said. Bates agreed that a gross receipts tax is important to the state. A study by University of Oregon economist Tim Duy is currently in the works. "One way or the other we need to get that through, and we need to get that through by the next biennium or you'll see cuts in the state like you literally won't believe," Bates said. About an hour into the forum, medical marijuana proponents grew restless hearing moderator-read submitted questions on topics ranging from education to the environment to reproductive health. Some began standing up to ask Bates and Buckley specific questions regarding marijuana. Buckley said the medical marijuana issue is getting "totally warped." He explained that Measure 91 is a statute, and that the state Legislature is balancing the concerns with federal legislators who are critical of the state's legalization of what remains a Schedule I controlled substance. Buckley cited estimates that Oregon grows nearly five times more marijuana than what the state's recreational and medical demand is, pointing to the conclusion that the excess is exported illegally across state lines. Those skirting the law put "tremendous pressure" on state legislators from federal regulators. "We have fought for medical marijuana," Buckley said. Growers, however, responded that those production figures don't accurately reflect the amount of marijuana needed to produce the more potent extracts, which are needed by many medical marijuana patients. Director of Right to Grow Steve Hunt said plant limits keep growers from getting enough raw material to create extracts for their patients. "Limits on plants, it's not something I find to be smart," Buckley said. Bates asked those attending to submit in writing specific ways legislators could help. Reach reporter Nick Morgan at 541-776-4471 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @MTCrimeBeat. By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat MailTribune.com By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat Posted Mar. 10, 2016 at 7:16 PM Updated Mar 11, 2016 at 7:16 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... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site 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. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501