Borough mayor vetoes marijuana moratorium

UPDATE (Wednesday, May 18): The assembly voted 6-0 at its Tuesday, May 17 meeting to override Halter's veto.

Original story:

WASILLA — Mat-Su Borough Mayor Vern Halter issued a veto of an ordinance that would have temporarily banned commercial marijuana businesses in unincorporated areas of the borough.

The veto was announced in an email sent to media outlets Monday afternoon.

In a statement accompanying the veto, Halter said he feels the matter of commercial marijuana regulation is best left up to the state.

“I have no problem with the cities regulating within their borders but it is better to allow the State to regulate outside our Cities and for the Borough to tax and receive revenue from the sales,” Halter wrote, adding that the ordinance would be difficult to enforce. “We have no police power and our Code compliance division is over worked already. To add Codes on marijuana will be difficult for us to enforce.”

The veto will be discussed during the regularly scheduled Tuesday, May 17 assembly meeting. The ordinance was already up for reconsideration at the meeting, which is set to begin at 6 p.m. in the assembly’s chambers in Palmer.

The assembly passed the ordinance by a 7-0 vote earlier this month. It would have placed a moratorium on commercial pot businesses in unincorporated areas until after October’s election, when the issue will be brought before the voters. The cities of Wasilla and Palmer have already enacted commercial marijuana bans, while the borough’s only other incorporated area — the city of Houston — is taking steps to allow the new industry after statewide permits are issued.

The veto is Halter’s first since he took office in November of 2015. The assembly could override the veto with a two-thirds majority vote on Tuesday.

Here’s the entire text of the mayor’s veto:

“I hereby Veto Ordinance Serial No. 16-046- The Borough's regulations on marijuana are still being considered, and according to testimony from Borough Staff at the public hearing on this Ordinance, are months away from finalization. In addition, It is my belief the State of Alaska should regulate sales and the Mat Su Borough should be able to tax marijuana sales much the same as regulation of alcohol. We are a large and diverse Borough outside our cities. I have no problem with the cities regulating within their borders but it is better to allow the State to regulate outside our Cities and for the Borough to tax and receive revenue from the sales. We have no police power and our Code compliance division is over worked already. To add Codes on marijuana will be difficult for us to enforce. From the very beginning our overly large Borough Marijuana Committee has made the process cumbersome and confusing. The upcoming vote within the Borough can still take place this October.”

For more information, visit the borough's website at matsugov.us.

CORRECTION: This story has been altered from its original version to correct a misspelling of the mayor's last name.