CITY of ALBUQUERQUE
TWENTY-FIRST COUNCIL
COUNCIL BILL NO. F/S M-14-6 ENACTMENT NO. ________________________
SPONSORED BY: Klarissa Peña, Isaac Benton, Ken Sanchez
MEMORIAL
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F/S Supporting Bernalillo County's Adoption Of Two Propositions Placing Advisory Questions On The November 4, 2014 General Election Ballot: First, The Proposition Asking Voters Whether The County Should Impose A One-Eighth Of One Percent County Gross Receipts Tax For Behavioral Health Services For Adults And Children In The Albuquerque; And, Second, The Proposition Asking Voters Whether They Support State And Local Efforts To Decriminalize Possession Of One Ounce Or Less Of Marijuana (Peña, Benton, Sanchez)
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WHEREAS, the City Council understands the critical need to expand behavioral health and substance abuse treatment services for adults and children residing in Bernalillo County; and
WHEREAS, the community must invest in prevention and intervention programs and accessible inpatient and outpatient mental health services. Without addressing these needs and the lack of other services such as services relating to homelessness, substance abuse and to the developmentally disabled, the problems in our community will persist; and
WHEREAS, families throughout the city struggle to find help for family members who suffer from the above-mentioned issues and are forced to deal with them alone. More often than not, the individual never receives the help they need and families anguish over how best to help their loved ones; and
WHEREAS, the Behavioral Health Task Force completed their deliberations on October 2, 2014 and prioritized the following services to address the critical behavioral health care needs in Albuquerque and Bernalillo County: A stabilization response center for those experiencing sub-acute symptoms of mental or behavioral health crisis; intensive case management services; and housing service; and
WHEREAS, a one-eighth of one percent county-wide gross receipts tax would generate $20 million each year that will provide badly needed additional behavioral health and substance abuse services for at-risk adults and children; and
WHEREAS, because behavioral health and substance abuse services are so important, voters should be allowed to weigh in and advise their elected officials of their opinion on the matter; and
WHEREAS, making criminals of individual who are in possession of small amounts of marijuana is not good public policy and wastes tax resources that could be used for a better purpose; and
WHEREAS, many cities and states have reduced the penalties for marijuana possession, and that trend is accelerating; and
WHEREAS, reduced penalties for the possession of one ounce or less of marijuana will relieve many of the current stresses on APD and the Metropolitan Detention Center; and
WHEREAS, reduced penalties for marijuana is an important step in creating more sensible drug policies; and
WHEREAS, because is the issue of reduced penalties is so important, voters should be allowed to weigh in and advise their elected officials of their opinion on the matter.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE COUNCIL, THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE, STATES:
Section 1. That the Albuquerque City Council supports the placement of two advisory questions on the general election ballot, one related to the imposition of a one eighth percent tax for Behavioral Health Services and one related to reducing penalties for possession of one ounce or less of marijuana.
Section 2. That the Albuquerque City Council encourages voters to study these issues seriously and to vote in the November 4, 2014 general election so as to give their elected officials the best sense of the voters opinion on these two important issues facing our community.