We are asking you to contact city council to ask them to repeal the city’s anti-marijuana ordinance. A disproportionate number of blacks are being locked up and labeled as criminals for simply possessing of small amounts of marijuana.
Currently the city is facing a $60 million budget deficit and a billion dollar hole in the retirement fund. Councilman Wendell Young- a former police officer-estimates that the marijuana law costs the city $360,000 a year. He says it is ineffective and should be repealed.
Below is a letter with some talking points. Please contact city council members and ask them to repeal the law and use those resources on the important services that are going to be cut. Please pass this along to your friends and ask them to contact council as well. Don’t be afraid to call them as well.
There is a budget hearing tomorrow, Wednesday, Dec. 15 at the Clifton Cultural Arts Center (3711 Clifton Avenue) at 6 p.m. You can sign up and speak for two minutes.
A better Cincinnati is possible and we can make a difference in our city. Thanks for all you do!
Here's an example:
Dear Councilmember (X),
As our city leaders deal with a $60 million budget deficit I want to encourage you to consider the drain that the anti-marijuana puts on the budget. Councilman Wendell Young estimates repealing the law will save $360,000 and according to Citybeat that number doesn’t even include the amount of police overtime for police officers to show up in court.
The law also costs many of our citizen’s job opportunities by labeling them as criminals for possession of small amounts of marijuana. The punishment is much harsher than the current state law that exists against possession of marijuana and there doesn’t seem to be any significant benefits.
Another troubling aspect of the ordinance is the disproportionate number of young black males being arrested under the ordinance. I believe that Cincinnati has come a long way in building community-police relations and this law undermines that trust.
The resources currently spent on the law would be better spent on human services that help those most in need and prevent crime. Homelessness is growing and changing. We have more people on the streets, currently we don’t have enough room for single women and we do not have enough room for families. I’ve heard reports that families are being seen outside now.
In 2008 Applied Information Research did a study which showed that most Cincinnatians favored Human services being funded at 1.5%. Please don’t cut those crucial services again. Our city needs policies that lift people up instead of taking away opportunities for jobs. I think that is the moral and fiscally responsible thing to do.
Sincerely,
Justin Jeffre
Clifton Heights
Here are their email addresses.
wendell.young@cincinnati-oh.gov,
"Mallory, Mark"
"Quinlivan, Laure"
"Berding, Jeff"
"Bortz, Chris"
Chris Monzel CCC
"Thomas, Cecil"
"Ghiz, Leslie"
"Qualls, Roxanne"
charlie.winburn@cincinnati-oh.gov
Here are their phone numbers and fax numbers etc. They like to hear from their constituents.
Vice Mayor Roxanne Qualls
City Hall, Suite 351
Phone: (513) 352-3604
Fax: (513) 352-3621
roxanne.qualls@cincinnati-oh.gov
Cecil Thomas - President Pro-Tem
City Hall, Suite 349
Phone: (513) 352-3499
Fax: (513) 352-3218
cecil.thomas@cincinnati-oh.gov
Jeff Berding
City Hall, Suite 348
Phone: (513) 352-3283
Fax: (513) 352-3289
jeff.berding@cincinnati-oh.gov Chris Bortz
City Hall, Suite 356
Phone: (513) 352-3249
Fax: (513) 352- 3264
chris.bortz@cincinnati-oh.gov
Leslie Ghiz
City Hall, Suite 354
Phone: (513) 352-3344
Fax: (513) 352-3277
leslie.ghiz@cincinnati-oh.gov Chris Monzel
City Hall, Suite 352
Phone: (513) 352-3640
Fax: (513) 352-4649
chris.monzel@cincinnati-oh.gov
Laure Quinlivan
City Hall, Suite 346B
Phone: (513) 352-5303
Fax: (513) 352-5390
laure.quinlivan@cincinnati-oh.gov Charlie Winburn
City Hall, Suite 346A
Phone: (513) 352-5354
Fax: (513) 352-5367
charlie.winburn@cincinnati-oh.gov
Wendell Young
City Hall, Suite 350
Phone: (513) 352-3466
Fax: (513) 352-3957
wendell.young@cincinnati-oh.gov
Thank you!
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