Councilmember Rose Herrera Wants to Ban Pot Clubs from Campaigns

As city leaders continue to ponder how to regulate local pot shops, Councilmember Rose Herrera wants to limit all campaign contributions from collectives, their owners and employees, and spouses of these people.

Herrera’s proposal makes it to the Rules and Open Government Committee on Wednesday, when she asks for a prohibition on contributions in time for the 2014 election cycle. The ban would be similar to one that prevents cardrooms from donating to candidates running for City Council.

“Campaign funding from the medical marijuana industry presents a corrupting influence on public policy makers at a time when the city is working to develop regulations for these establishments,” Herrera writes. “The City Council should prohibit campaign contributions from medical marijuana establishments and their representatives to avoid the appearance of conflicts of interest and to minimize the influence of an industry dedicated to the sale of a substance that remains illegal under federal law.”

It’s unclear which candidate this ordinance would hurt, or help, and how the city would even regulate such a provision, considering the city does not even know who works at most collectives within San Jose.

More from the San Jose Rules and Open Government Committee agenda for January 21, 2014:

• Self-appointed city watchdog David Wall suggests someone post up security cameras by the entrance to the council chambers to prevent “the absolute dregs of society” from entering the wing. He also proposes a housing moratorium as a fix for the statewide drought.

• Councilmember Don Rocha is asking the city to sponsor the screening of a documentary about human trafficking. Flesh explores the impacts of human trafficking on communities across the U.S.

WHAT: Rules and Open Government Committee meets
WHEN: 2pm Wednesday
WHERE: City Hall, 200 E. Santa Clara St., San Jose
INFO: City Clerk, 408.535.1260

Jennifer Wadsworth is the former news editor for San Jose Inside and Metro Silicon Valley. Follow her on Twitter at @jennwadsworth.

5 Comments

  1. Sure Rose. Like the ban on Casino contributions that forced The M8trix casino to make all their contributions under the name of their owners other business, Garden City Construction. Very transparent. Perhaps you’re just tasting the sour grapes because PierreLuigi is the favored son of the Marijuana business?

    If Roses proposition passes, TAPS security owner and upcoming council candidate Tam Truoung is going to be very upset with her.  And we all know how valuable TAPS security is to Rose’s district and its astronomical burglary rate.

  2. Since when do politicians care where they get their money!  Should we ban donations from gun shop owners or even gun owners.  And they should not take take money from Chucks illegal funneling of money.

  3. Now we’ve seen everything . Rose accepted illegal financial contributions from the Mayor , and now is worried about “Corrupting Influence” ?  This just goes to show , how truly clueless Hererra is

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