Pot bill up in smoke? Mayor Nutter considering options for Philly

Mayor Michael Nutter still is not saying what he will do with a bill on his desk that would allow police to issues $25 tickets instead of making an arrest for possessing a small amount of marijuana.

Nutter will have to make a decision in a few weeks. The bill authored by Councilman Jim Kenney passed just before council went away for its summer recess in June. Mayor Nutter says he is still working on a plan to deal with possession of small amounts of pot in the city.

“Our goals are not in conflict with each other,” said Nutter. “I think it’s unfortunate that it’s been characterized that we are in some kind of disagreement. The issue is how we address this particular issue, not whether or not there should be unnecessary arrests or engagement by the police department the [District Attorney’s] office or the courts.”

Kenney says the mayor should have signed the bill in June. He believes the mayor has one major problem with the bill. 

“My name’s on it number one,” he said. “If you look at the issues that he has issued executive orders on it’s all things that this administration fought, realized that they are going to lose and then to safe face did an executive order.”

Kenney says if they mayor opts to veto the bill, he will go for a veto override. Last time it got enough votes to overrule the mayor.