Reading Mayor Wally Scott may be sympathetic to the idea of decriminalizing marijuana in his city, but when it comes to changing the local law, he’s a little more businesslike.
When asked Thursday about an ordinance by Council Vice President Donna Reed and Councilman Chris Daubert that would lessen legal penalties for marijuana, Scott said he would be forced to veto the ordinance if it made its way to his desk to be signed.
Scott said he thinks the advancement of the ordinance is being conducted “way too quickly in the city.” Reed and Daubert came forward with the ordinance this week and some council members said they didn’t know about the proposal.
The mayor said it contradicts both state and federal laws.
“I understand the reasoning why Donna and Daubert want this, and I’m not saying I don’t agree that it should be a summary offense, because I do,” Scott said. “But at the same time, you’ve got to follow the law. And if we do something like this, we’ll really jam ourselves up and we’d jam up everybody else in the townships and in the boroughs and everybody around us.”
Scott said he received dozens of phone calls from city residents on Thursday who both spoke in favor and against the ordinance. He later spoke with both Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams and Reading Police Chief Andres Dominguez about the potential impact the ordinance could have on local policing and the court system.
The consensus, Scott said, was that the marijuana ordinance would cause “confusion and chaos” in the county with conflicting laws among neighboring municipalities. He said the city could potentially run into a situation where members of the Berks County detectives or the Pennsylvania State Police would still have the right to make marijuana arrests in the city.
The ordinance, which was drafted by City Clerk Linda A. Kelleher, is modeled after a similar ordinance passed by the State College Borough Council in August. State College joined other municipalities in Pennsylvania in decriminalization, including Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Wilkes-Barre and Harrisburg.
Scott said he hasn’t had the opportunity to speak to other Pennsylvania mayors regarding their marijuana ordinances, but he also pointed out that he wouldn’t ask their opinions on the ordinances since they don’t follow state or federal laws.
“Regardless of what the others are doing, I don’t think we should be looking at people who are basically making laws that are breaking laws,” Scott said.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker
Full Article: Reading Mayor Plans To Veto Bill On Marijuana
Author: Michael Yoder
Contact: 610-371-5000
Photo Credit: Ben Hasty
Website: Reading Eagle
