February 24, 2014 The Honorable Jay Inslee Governor The Honorable Frank Chopp Speaker of the House

of Representatives The Honorable Pat Sullivan House Majority Leader The Honorable Dan Kristiansen House Minority Leader The Honorable Ross Hunter Appropriations Chair

The Honorable Rodney Tom Senate Majority Leader The Honorable Mark Schoesler Senate Republican Leader The Honorable Sharon Nelson Senate Democratic Leader The Honorable Andy Hill Ways & Means Chair

Subject: Mayors call on state to provide marijuana legalization enforcement and public safety protections Dear Governor and Legislative Leaders: As mayors from across Washington State, we are asking that the state partner with cities and towns to meet the commitment to provide local communities with strong regulation, law enforcement and public safety protections expected by citizens when voters legalized marijuana. Of the eight mandates for legalized marijuana from the federal government, five fall to local jurisdictions and local law enforcement. Washington voters supported marijuana legalization with the assurance that government would implement robust oversight and enforcement. The state needs to meet these commitments to make the new marijuana laws work. To do so the state and cities must work in cooperation. The majority of marijuana sales and use will occur in our jurisdictions. This makes us responsible for overseeing permitting, code enforcement, ensuring money and drugs stay out of criminal hands, preventing distribution to minors, and addressing drugged driving and other adverse public health consequences. If the state is relying on local cities to enforce new marijuana laws, it needs to provide some of the new marijuana tax revenues to pay for it this is a matter of common sense and fairness. It is estimated legalizing marijuana will give the state significant new annual tax revenue. Were asking for a portion of those revenues. Communities are already feeling the impacts of legalized marijuana, even before retail operations open this summer which will dramatically expand access. The state has only 69 liquor enforcement officers and they will only focus on licensing. All other oversight and enforcement falls to local governments.

Cities cant accommodate the increased needs created by legalization of marijuana without funding. We cant wait, this is already having an impact and will only increase in the next few months as businesses start-up operations. Washington voters took a leap of faith and approved marijuana legalization. We have to work together if this initiative is to be implemented successfully. We have a history of partnership working together to meet the needs of our communities and state. Lets build on this track record of success going forward. We ask that the legislature take action now, before the 2014 session ends, to share marijuana revenue with cities. Sincerely,

Patrick Rushing Mayor, Airway Heights

Patty Lent Mayor, Bremerton

Jason Miller Mayor, Concrete

Einar Larson Mayor, Almira

Pat Johnson Mayor, Buckley

Bruce Blackwell Mayor, Connell

Barb Tolbert Mayor, Arlington

Lucy Krakowiak Mayor, Burien

Margaret Harto Mayor, Covington

Vicki Bonfield Mayor, Asotin

Scott Higgins Mayor, Camas

Craig George Mayor, Dayton

Shane Bowman Mayor, Battle Ground

Brian Whitmore Mayor, Carbonado

Dave Kaplan Mayor, Des Moines

Claudia Balducci Mayor, Bellevue

Dennis Dawes Mayor, Chehalis

Dave Earling Mayor, Edmonds

Kelli Linville Mayor, Bellingham

Tom Trulove Mayor, Cheney

Liz Reynolds Mayor, Enumclaw

Betty Barnes Mayor, Bingen Authorized, no signature available Dave Gordon Mayor, Black Diamond

Dorothy Knauss Mayor, Chewelah

Keith Vradenburg Mayor, Entiat

Todd Vanek Mayor, Colfax

Ray Stephanson Mayor, Everett

Authorized, no signature available James Woomack Mayor, Farmington Andy Ryder Mayor, Lacey Jennifer Gregerson Mayor, Mukilteo

Jim Ferrell Mayor, Federal Way

Mary Jane Goss Mayor, Lake Forest Park

Scott Dudley Mayor, Oak Harbor

Glenn Hull Mayor, Fife

Vern Little Mayor, Lake Stevens

Crystal Dingler Mayor, Ocean Shores

Bryon Monohon Mayor, Forks

Don Jensen Mayor, Longview

Doug Plinski Mayor, Odessa

Linda Loen Mayor, Gold Bar

Debra Heinzman Mayor, Lyman

Jon Culp Mayor, Okanogan

Mike Cassinelli Mayor, Ilwaco

Nicola Smith Mayor, Lynnwood

Stephen Buxbaum Mayor, Olympia

Fred Butler Mayor, Issaquah

Mario Martinez Mayor, Mabton

Michael Exhanove Mayor, Palouse

David Futcher Mayor, Kelso

Jon Nehring Mayor, Marysville

Matt Watkins Mayor, Pasco

David Baker Mayor, Kenmore

David Ferguson Mayor, Mesa

G. Paul Miller Mayor, Pomeroy

Suzette Cooke Mayor, Kent

Ken Estes Mayor, Montesano

Timothy Matthes Mayor, Port Orchard

Amy Walen Mayor, Kirkland

Jerry Smith Mayor, Mountlake Terrace

Paul Warden Mayor, Prosser

Glenn Johnson Mayor, Pullman

Shari Winstead Mayor, Shoreline

Soo Ing-Moody Mayor, Twisp

John Knutsen Mayor, Puyallup

Matt Larson Mayor, Snoqualmie

Roger Wentz Mayor, Union Gap Authorized, no signature available

Jim Hemberry Mayor, Quincy

David Condon Mayor, Spokane

Denise McCluskey Mayor, University Place

Randy Schleis Mayor, Rainier

Leonard Kelley Mayor, Stanwood

Tim Leavitt Mayor, Vancouver

Robert Jungar Mayor, Raymond

Ron Lucas Mayor, Steilacoom

Sean Guard Mayor, Washougal

John Marchione Mayor, Redmond

James A. Restucci Mayor, Sunnyside

Brent Gerry Mayor, West Richland

Denis Law Mayor, Renton

Marilyn Strickland Mayor, Tacoma

David Poucher Mayor, White Salmon

Ron Onslow Mayor, Ridgefield

Stanley Hall Mayor, Tieton

Grover Laseke Mayor, Woodland

Tom Vance Mayor, Sammamish

Loren Belton Mayor, Toppenish

Micah Cawley Mayor, Yakima

Ed Murray Mayor, Seattle

Jim Haggerton Mayor, Tukwila

Candace Pratt Mayor, Sequim

Pete Kmet Mayor, Tumwater