Kabat open to discussion on changes to local marijuana penalties

One Wisconsin city has already made a move, after a marijuana referendum this month.

Will La Crosse be next?

We asked La Crosse Mayor Tim Kabat his thoughts on the move by the Eau Claire city council, this week, to decrease fines for first-time marijuana possession to just $1.

Eau Claire County voters, this month, approved an advisory referendum to legalize marijuana.

“I would, I guess, be interested in having that conversation here in La Crosse and what our city council might think about that,” La Crosse Mayor Tim Kabat said.

La Crosse voters approved a marijuana legalization referendum this month.

“Voters in the city of La Crosse spoke pretty loudly, and clearly, through their votes, that they’re in favor in moving forward on these reforms related to marijuana,” Kabat said. “The fact that EC took that step to reduce the ticket, I think is a real creative way to try to appraoch what seems to be a pretty overwhelming sentiment in the state and nationally about marijuana.”

La Crosse’s city council adopted an ordinance in 2010 to decriminalize possession of less than 25 grams of pot.