Valentine's Day Surprise from Firestone: Decriminalize Marijuana?

It's amazing how politicians change their tune when they do not have the pressure of the next election ahead of them...see this Valentine's Day surprise from County Supervisor Brooks Firestone at KEYT News:

Santa Barbara County Supervisor Brooks Firestone is suggesting marijuana be decriminalized to reduce the number of inmates in the county's overcrowded jail. "I'd like to examine that," Firestone said at Tuesday's meeting.

Although Firestone's suggestion may be a good one for several reasons, including giving government the ability to tax joints as much as cigarettes, it isn't the reason for jail overcrowding. Sheriff Bill Brown makes some good points saying that it is less about weed than it is about a slow judicial system and deporting illegal aliens who commit crimes to their country of origin.

To be fair, I've never heard that Firestone is against or for marijuana decriminalization prior to this statement -- but it would seem without the specter of the next election, he is a bit more able to speak freely.

Status of Measure P

Would anyone like to report on what they see as the progress of Measure P? This aptly named initative went into effect a few months ago and I heard on the radio that a City Council Committee was meeting soon to review its progress. Personally, I'm not sure the local police made such a big deal about marijuana anyway and it seems like a big waste of time and money if we have to have meetings on it at City Hall....what do you think?