DALLAS (1080 KRLD)- The group, Ground Game Texas, says the City of Dallas has certified enough signatures for a potential change to the city charter dealing with marijuana. The measure would stop police from citing or arresting people if they have less than four ounces of marijuana.
"I think this is very important to the Dallas community," says Ground Game Texas Executive Director Catina Voellinger.
Voellinger says the Dallas City Council could either approve the changes itself at its meeting August 14 or approve the measure for the November ballot. She says Ground Game Texas gathered the required signatures, and the group's volunteers drew interest from parts of the community that have traditionally stayed out of the political process.
"All my life, I have been told my voice doesn't matter, my vote won't matter. It doesn't matter here in Texas," she says. "I think there's something special when we have someone sign a piece of paper about an issue they really care about and means a lot to them. Then they see it on the ballot, and then we get to tell these people to go vote, and then it wins. There's something very therapeutic and reinvigorating about what that does to a person, what that tells a person and signals to a person."
Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia has opposed the measure. He says people with more than two ounces of marijuana have been linked to an increase in violent crime and increased drug sales.
"Our policy doesn't deal with other crimes. They can still arrest for violent crime, selling drugs," Voellinger says.
Earlier this year, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued five cities, Austin, Denton, Elgin, Killeen and San Marcos, "for adopting amnesty and non-prosecution policies that violate Texas laws concerning marijuana possession and distribution."
"I will not stand idly by as cities run by pro-crime extremists deliberately violate Texas law and promote the use of illicit drugs that harm our communities," Paxton said in January. "This unconstitutional action by municipalities demonstrates why Texas must have a law to 'follow the law.' It's quite simple: the legislature passes every law after a full debate on the issues, and we don't allow cities the ability to create anarchy by picking and choosing the laws they enforce."
The lawsuit against Austin was dismissed, but Paxton's office has filed an appeal.
Voellinger says Ground Game Texas' success getting signatures in Dallas and similar projects in other cities shows the attitude toward marijuana is changing.
"I think it should be a signal to the people leading this state to take the temperature of the people of Texas," she says. "I think the support for this ballot petition from Dallas voters shows people are unapologetically demanding change we all deserve. We don't need to have police locking people up for a joint."
In turn, she says police would be freed to investigate and prevent more substantial issues surrounding public safety.
More information about Ground Game Texas is available HERE.
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