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Friday, Oct. 22, 2010 • Volume #47, Issue #4
Proposed policy to define areas of free expression
YES or NO
California BALLOT
Along with voting for the next governor of California, Tuesday, November 2, voters will vote on a number of measures and proposition. Here are a few to consider. - Matt Wilson q PROP 19: Legalization of marijuana Prop. 19 would allow anyone over 21 years of age to possess, cultivate, or transport marijuana if passed. Marijuana would still be illegal under federal law. If it does not pass, marijuana would remain illegal, except for what is allowed under current medical marijuana laws. q PROP 20: Redistricting amendment Prop. 20 is a proposed amendment to the California state constitution. If passed, elected representatives would be removed from the process of determining congressional district boundaries. If it does not pass, redistricting responsibilities would remain with the state legislature. q PROP 21: Funding for state parks Prop. 21, if passed, would establish an $18 surcharge added to motor vehicle registration fees. The surcharge would be used to fund state parks, and all vehicles covered by the surcharge would be allowed free admission to all state parks. If it does not pass, funding for state parks would still come from existing sources and admission fees could still be charged. q MEASURE H: Reorganization of fire department administration If passed, measure H would amend the Stockton city charter to modernize and restructure the administration of the fire department, revise how employee disputes are handled, and remove mandatory vacation accrual for fire department employees. q MEASURE I: Marijuana tax If passed, measure I would establish a tax on marijuana sales at a rate of $25 per $1000 gross receipts for medical marijuana and $100 per $1000 gross receipts for nonmedical marijuana. Source: California Voters Guide
By Matthew Wilson Online Editor
tobacco and tax it and only let adults buy it,” said Ferraiolo, who addressed the issue of the taxation of alcohol and tobacco in comparison to Prop. 19. Ferraiolo presented staggering numbers about the number of people who die each year from alcohol poisoning and tobacco use in the United States. Mersmann offered the opposing side, arguing for accountability and touching on current medical marijuana laws among other things. The debate included interaction from the audience, who were asked if they had partaken in marijuana recently. Many hands were raised. If passed, Prop. 19 allows California residents 21 or older to “possess, cultivate or transport marijuana for personal use” and “permits local governments to regulate and tax commercial production, distribution and the sale of marijuana,” according to the state voter guide published by the Secretary of State’s
Controversy is brewing on campus over a proposed policy revision concerning freedom of expression at Delta College. Revisions to administrative and board policies 3760 are currently under consideration. The revisions would more clearly state the district’s policy on the time, place and manner in which free expression can take place. Dr. Matt Wetstein, Dean of Planning, Research, and Institutional Effectiveness, who submitted the proposal revisions, said the policy changes were at least partly inspired by a group of activists who regularly protest on campus by displaying graphic images. The policy would declare certain segments of the campus as “public forums” and require free expression activities, such as petitioning or handing out fliers, to take place in those areas, according to the documentation. The policies would also require the college be notified before any such activities took place, with exact details to be determined. Such policies are not without precedent. In 1965, after much protesting from students, the University of California, Berkeley allowed freedom of expression activities to be held in specific “open discussion areas” on campus, as well as allowing student organizations to set up tables in other designated areas. Chico State University also has a “free speech area,” which has been used both for political and social debates, as well as for entertainment purposes. There is also legal precedent. The California Education Code allows for a college’s governing board to establish time, place, and manner guidelines for the free expression of speech. Despite this precedent, Associated Student Body Government President Patrice Burke is not pleased with the policy change. “What happens when we start limiting freedoms?” Burke said. “If we start limiting some speech, when do we start limiting others?”
See Debate, Page 2
See Free Speech, Page 2
PHOTO BY: SEAN REILLY
DEBATE: Delta instructors Bill Ferraiolo, left, and Harry Mersmann,
right, discusses the pros and cons of marijuana
PIPELINE hosts marijuana debate By Sean Reilly Staff Writer A debate of one of the most controversial propositions in recent state history nearly filled the Tillie Lewis Theater Oct. 14. The PIPELINE Club hosted a debate featuring Delta College instructors Bill Ferraiolo and Harry Mersmann debating the legalization of marijuana. “Which Side is Really ‘Blown’” centered on Proposition 19, the ballot measure aiming to regulate, tax and control the sale of cannabis. California residents will vote on the proposition Tuesday, Nov. 2. The event was hosted to provide the campus population with information in an effort to make informed decisions come Election Day, according to club members. The instructor’s were chosen for their overall knowledge of the subject. Bill Ferraiolo presented the pro side of the argument. “Treat it like alcohol and
Staying above water:
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