Bexar County Can Start Saving $10,000 A Day In Tax Dollars Starting Today

I had always heard that Austin, TX police were more lenient on people busted with marijuana. Police officers are more likely to give you a ticket and let you go, but in San Antonio and most cities in Texas, we are not near as lucky. I always wondered why this was, then one day while researching, I discovered H.B. 2391 written by Jerry Madden. Mr. Madden wrote H.B. 2391 to avoid building more jails and prisons and spending more unnecessary tax payer's money. I emailed Mr. Madden and thanked him for writing the bill, but explained to him that I did not understand how a bill that was passed unanimously was not being implemented throughout the state 5 years later.

The bill had enormous support from Austin and believe it or not Bexar County. Judge Nelson Wolfe wrote a letter to Governor Rick Perry supporting the bill and illustrating an example of arresting misdemeanor offenders costing Bexar County $10,000 per day in operational costs (in 2007). When I spoke to Nelson Wolfe he said that Bexar County Sheriff Officers are more likely to honor the cite and release law (HB 2391). According to Judge Wolfe, SAPD and the smaller police departments in Bexar County are more likely to arrest an individual for simple possession. I have heard that officers working for some local police departments would lose their jobs if they did not arrest people caught possessing marijuana.

Will our new Sheriff Pamerleau continue to encourage her officers to honor the cite and release law? Is she willing to consider implementing a policy that honors it to save our county money? Who has more pull in this city Reed or Pamerleau when it comes to drawing the line with law enforcement and marijuana possession?

Send them an email or make a phone call and ask their thoughts on the cite and release law and the cost of marijuana arrests in Bexar County.

Susan Reed  210-335-2311
Susan L. Pamerlea  210-335-6010

REMEMBER: THE LAW ALLOWS A POLICE OFFICER THE OPTION TO NOT ARREST YOU FOR POSSESSING LESS THAN 4 OUNCES OF MARIJUANA.

THIS SAVES YOU BAIL MONEY, EMBARRASSMENT, EMPLOYMENT ISSUES, CAR TOWING EXPENSES.

THIS SAVES BEXAR COUNTY TAX PAYERS OVER 3 MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR!

Why has it taken Bexar County over 5 years to implement a policy that would save tax payers over 3 million dollars a year? So I asked Judge Wolfe "who do I speak to... " and his answer was the city council.

This is a great project for volunteers or to get involved with. Write letters, send emails, make phone calls and do some research to find out how Bexar County can begin implementing a cost efficient and more economic friendly approach to a harmless plant in our communities. Marijuana is now legal in Colorado and Washington and medically legal in 18 states including Washington D.C.

Currently there is a bill HB 184 pending before Texas legislators that would reduce the penalties of one ounce or less of marijuana to a maximum fine of $500 and no jail time.

Send a prewritten letter to your Representative asking them to support HB 184.

Until we do convince our city and state to allow us to posses marijuana without it being a crime, watch this video below and learn some excellent tips from a former narcotics officer.

“Do you want to know who you are? Don't ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you.”
―Thomas Jefferson