cannabisnews.com: Pot Initiative Backers Turn in 32,000 Signatures Pot Initiative Backers Turn in 32,000 Signatures Posted by CN Staff on June 22, 2004 at 08:12:31 PT By Henry K. Lee, Chronicle Staff Writer Source: San Francisco Chronicle Supporters of an initiative that would tax and regulate marijuana sellers in Oakland moved one step closer to their goal Monday, after turning in more than 32,000 signatures to the city clerk's office. The Alameda County registrar must verify 3 percent of the signatures to determine whether the Oakland Cannabis Initiative is placed on the November ballot. That could take at least a week. "The support out there was great," said Joe DeVries, who supports the measure and is a field director for county Supervisor Nate Miley. On Monday morning, members of a pro-marijuana coalition called the Oakland Civil Liberties Alliance took five boxes of petitions to Oakland City Hall, where they were reviewed by Marjo Keller, deputy clerk for elections. Keller determined that the group had collected 32,037 signatures, a number well in excess of the 19,700 signatures -- 10 percent of Oakland's voters -- needed to qualify a measure for a citywide ballot. The initiative comes as most of about a dozen cannabis enterprises in the city, including four in the 1700 block of Telegraph Avenue in an area dubbed "Oaksterdam," are being forced to close or stay open as cafes -- without selling marijuana -- or risk the wrath of Oakland police. The closures began June 1 when a new ordinance took effect. Snipped: Complete Article: http://freedomtoexhale.com/turn.htmSource: San Francisco Chronicle (CA)Author: Henry K. Lee, Chronicle Staff Writer Published: Tuesday, June 22, 2004 - Page B - 5 Copyright: 2004 San Francisco Chronicle Contact: letters sfchronicle.comWebsite: http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/ Related Articles & Web Sites:CaNORMLhttp://www.canorml.org/Marijuana Policy Projecthttp://www.mpp.org/Drug Policy Alliancehttp://www.drugpolicy.org/Oakland Pot Measure Seeks a Shift in Priorities http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19042.shtmlPro-Marijuana Advocates Seek Oakland Vote http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18371.shtmlAdvocates Get Down To Grass Taxhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18363.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Post Comment