Carl Vertrees

Unless you have your head buried in the sand, you must be aware that we have a national, state and local general election coming up in less than a month. If you’re like me, you’ve probably decided how you will vote on most of the issues and most of the contested races.

Probably the issue I have deliberated on the most is the advisory issue on the local ballot. In a non-binding measure, the Redmond City Council is asking whether it should allow the sale of recreational marijuana in our city.

Voters of Oregon legalized the possession and use of recreational marijuana in 2014 by a 56% margin, after previously asking that question in 1986 and 2012. I voted against it.

In the past 10 years I am not aware that the sale and use of cannabis has become a major legal problem, but if one lives in Redmond, it’s inconvenient to buy it, because the nearest dispensaries are in Tumalo, Bend, Sunriver, LaPine, Sisters and Madras.

Proponents of local sales, say the number of retail outlets would be limited, so the number of sales points would be much more difficult to find than a food cart.

An accompanying advisory measure asks whether the city should implement a sales tax on those sales.

For years, opponents of marijuana touted it as a gateway drug, sure to prepare consumers for more toxic drugs.

The federal government has not legalized marijuana, and that means even in locales where sales and use are legal the retailers do not have access to the conventional banking system.

Use is legal for adults 21 and over, but not while driving. Marijuana is prohibited on federal lands, even in a state where it is legal.

Barring an unexpected epiphany, I’ll probably stick to my original stance and vote against the measure.

I’ve been a constant voter, ever since reaching the then voting age of 21. I try to keep informed about who my legislators are and how they feel on the issues.

I’m feeling a bit disenfranchised since the last redistricting was implemented after the 2020 census. I don’t especially like the shape of our U.S. Congressional District as it overlaps the Cascades, but that’s not my greatest concern.

Ginger and I live in the north end of the city of Redmond, north of Greenwood Avenue which marks the split between legislative districts.

Despite local media concentrating on the races between Representative Emerson Levy and her challenger Keri Lopez in District 53 and Senate District 27 candidates Andrew Broadman and Michael Summers, we’re no longer in their districts.

We live in House District 59. Our state representative is Vikki Breese Iverson of Prineville. We live in Senate District 30 on the western fringe of Senator Lynn Findlay’s vast territory which he serves from his home in Vale — not even in the same time zone as we are.

We should probably change our attitude and embrace the idea that Redmond has two representatives in the house and two more in the senate who should be voting on behalf of all of my neighbors.

Redmond wins, and we lose, because we can’t vote for the candidates representing most of our nearby acquaintances.