File #: 17-6208    Version: 1 Name: REQUESTING TO PRESENT AN ADVISORY PUBLIC QUESTION VIA A COUNTYWIDE REFERENDUM TO COOK COUNTY VOTERS ON WHETHER THE STATE OF ILLINOIS SHOULD LEGALIZE, REGULATE AND TAX RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA USE FOR ADULTS 21 AND OVER
Type: Resolution Status: Approved
File created: 11/8/2017 In control: Legislation and Intergovernmental Relations Committee
On agenda: 11/15/2017 Final action: 12/13/2017
Title: PROPOSED RESOLUTION REQUESTING TO PRESENT AN ADVISORY PUBLIC QUESTION VIA A COUNTYWIDE REFERENDUM TO COOK COUNTY VOTERS ON WHETHER THE STATE OF ILLINOIS SHOULD LEGALIZE, REGULATE AND TAX RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA USE FOR ADULTS 21 AND OVER WHEREAS, Pursuant to the Illinois Election Code, 10 ILCS 5/28-1, et seq., and the Counties Code, 55 ILCS 5/5-1005.5, the corporate authorities of a county have the authority to submit a public question to the electors of the county by means of a referendum; and WHEREAS, despite spending more than $1 Trillion over the last 40 years, the efforts of the "War on Drugs", the health and social costs of drugs increase every year, drugs are no less available than before, and treatment is not available to the vast majority of people who need it; and WHEREAS, existing evidence from other states and countries show there is no indication that decriminalization or legalization of marijuana leads to a measurable increase in its use; and WHEREAS, eight states and...
Sponsors: JOHN A. FRITCHEY, LUIS ARROYO JR, RICHARD R. BOYKIN, DENNIS DEER, BRIDGET GAINER, JESÚS G. GARCÍA, EDWARD M. MOODY, STANLEY MOORE, SEAN M. MORRISON, DEBORAH SIMS, LARRY SUFFREDIN, JEFFREY R. TOBOLSKI
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PROPOSED RESOLUTION

REQUESTING TO PRESENT AN ADVISORY PUBLIC QUESTION VIA A COUNTYWIDE REFERENDUM TO COOK COUNTY VOTERS ON WHETHER THE STATE OF ILLINOIS SHOULD LEGALIZE, REGULATE AND TAX RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA USE FOR ADULTS 21 AND OVER

WHEREAS, Pursuant to the Illinois Election Code, 10 ILCS 5/28-1, et seq., and the Counties Code, 55 ILCS 5/5-1005.5, the corporate authorities of a county have the authority to submit a public question to the electors of the county by means of a referendum; and

WHEREAS, despite spending more than $1 Trillion over the last 40 years, the efforts of the "War on Drugs", the health and social costs of drugs increase every year, drugs are no less available than before, and treatment is not available to the vast majority of people who need it; and

WHEREAS, existing evidence from other states and countries show there is no indication that decriminalization or legalization of marijuana leads to a measurable increase in its use; and

WHEREAS, eight states and Washington D.C. have already legalized the recreational use of marijuana; and

WHEREAS, marijuana-related arrests in every Cook County municipality, including Chicago, result in staggering costs to Cook County government by virtue of the necessary involvement of the County jail, Sheriff's department, State's Attorney, Clerk of the Court, judiciary, and often times, the Public Defender, annually costing Cook County taxpayers tens of millions of dollars; and

WHEREAS, most arrests for marijuana possession do not lead to trials or prison terms. Instead, a large number of these arrests are plea-bargained, continued without a finding, dismissed, or otherwise handled in a manner that places unnecessary burdens on already-limited criminal justice system resources; and

WHEREAS, as Illinois and Cook County continually face severe budget and financial constraints and lawmakers repeatedly face the undesirable choice of deciding between increasing taxes or substantial service cuts, or b...

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