N.J. Legalizing Recreational Marijuana Is ‘Beyond Stupidity,’ Gov. Says
Connecting state and local government leaders
Also in our State and Local Daily Digest: NYC maps rampant sidewalk sheds; Conn. city settles police discrimination suit; Sacramento strengthens ‘sanctuary city’ status.
GOVERNORS | New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said legalizing recreational marijuana in his state is “beyond stupidity” with regards to a proposed Democratic bill to do just that. “There’s less opioid abuse, because they are using marijuana for pain,’’ said state Senate President Stephen Sweeney, a sponsor. “I am telling you there’s so many pros.” [The Record / NorthJersey.com]
Maine Gov. Paul LePage, a Republican, is suing his state’s Democratic Attorney General Janet Mills claiming her legal opposition to President Donald Trump’s travel ban executive order constitutes an abuse of power. Mills responded to the governor’s suit with this statement: "Instead of signing onto another party's brief at no cost to the taxpayers, however, or hiring a lawyer to draft his own brief, the governor has wasted state resources by hiring a lawyer to file a frivolous lawsuit, complaining that he cannot do exactly what we have told him he can do." Maine is the only state where the attorney general is elected by the state legislature, rather than elected by voters or appointed by the governor. [Reuters]
Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, who has served as chief executive for the state for nearly 23 years, began his confirmation hearing to become the U.S. ambassador to China on Tuesday. “Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that a boy from a small farm in Leland, Iowa, would one day have the opportunity to become, with your consent, the ambassador to one of the world’s most influential countries and one of America’s largest trading partners,” Branstad said in his opening statement to the committee. Branstad has a long and ongoing relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping, which began in 1985 when the two met in Hebei Province, Iowa’s sister state in China. [The Gazette]
MAPPING | In total, 280 miles of New York City’s streets are covered in scaffold structures known as sidewalk sheds. Some of the more than 7,700 structures have been in place for years, and officials sometimes have no clue when they’re meant to come down. The oldest standing scaffold on record was installed 11 years ago. Now the Buildings Department is taking on a more active role in keeping track of the structures that many say have become unwieldy eyesores. A new map created by the department marks every building with a scaffold on it and makes data on the structures publicly available. [The New York Times]
LAW ENFORCEMENT | Bridgeport, Connecticut will pay $65,000 to settle a federal discrimination lawsuit with police Sgt. Lonnie Blackwell, who was demoted over a fake racist letter circulated around his department. Blackwell was never charged with dissemination of the letter, like former Officer Clive Higgins, and argued in court his former presidency of minority police organization The Guardians made him a target within his department. Litigation concerning his demotion and loss of “captain eligibility” is ongoing. [Connecticut Post]
SANCTUARY CITIES | Sacramento City Council plans to vote Thursday on $300,000 for an education and legal defense network for undocumented immigrants, while also barring city employees including police from inquiring about a person’s immigration status. The moves would solidify Sacramento’s status as a sanctuary city, two days after Immigration & Customs Enforcement Acting Director Thomas Homan was met by hundreds of protesters, when he visited the city. [The Sacramento Bee]
PARKING | Cars abandoned along the streets of Boston and at Logan International Airport are flagged for investigation into their owners’ whereabouts after 30 days and towed to impound after 10 weeks. Vehicles held for a year can be auctioned by a third party once there are 75 to 100 available with the last auction occurring in October 2015. [The Boston Globe]
NEXT STORY: Minnesota Health Officials Battle Anti-Vaccine Sentiments Amid Measles Outbreak