Restoring the Revenue: Seminar on How Medical Marijuana Provisioning Centers and Certification Test Facilities can benefit municipalities

 The Friends of George Cushingberry Jr.

and

The Exploratory Committee to Elect George Cushingberry Jr.

as Detroit City Council President

Presents

 

The Seminar Agenda for Sat. December 21st

 

Hosted By

The Exploratory Committee to Elect George Cushingberry Jr. as

President of Detroit City Council in 2014

How the Medical Marijuana Provisioning Centers and/or Certification Test Facilities in Michigan can benefit municipalities with the adaption of HB4271 – Provisioning Centers Act in Lansing.  How the new leadership in Detroit City Government can maximize the full potential of an agribusiness revolution that Industrial Hemp and Cannabis can provide.  Also defeating Senate Bill 660 that will outsource caregiver operations to the Canadian based firm of Prairie Systems for exclusive growing rights in Michigan. This bill will effectively remove the caregiver function from the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act of 2008.  

Links  (HB4271)  (SB660)

Meet some of Michigan’s premiere activists and, get one on one consultation with Attorneys and leaders in Government.

Donation: $100.00  

Location:  Marijuana Ranch Café, 2627 John R. Detroit MI    48201

Tickets:   313 422-5281/ PayPal / Maximum Capacity of 30 people.

Sounds of Music Provided by DJ Skojak / Licensed Security Guard on site

Emcee for the Evening:   The Weed Warrior

Buffet style Dinner served for guests. Waitress/Hostess Service

 

Doors Open @ 4pm

4:00 – 6:00   Social Networking Hour with activists and friends.

                Medication Station will be located on the terrace for level.

6:00 – 6:45   Speakers List:

Atty. Michael Kormorn, Atty. Matt Abel (Michigan NORML), Activist Adam Brook, Activist Tim Beck, and City Councilman George Cushingberry Jr.     

6:45 – 10:00 Buffet Served with Question and Answering Session/Basic Networking

Your Food Menu for the Evening...

 Shrimp Cocktail Bowl

 Sausage Cheese Trays

 Deviled Eggs

 Hummus & Pita Chips

 Crudities'

 Smoked Salmon Tray

 Tossed Salad

 Smoked Brisket Sliders

 Ranch Baked Beans

 Mac and Cheese

 Christmas Cookies

 And a fine selection of Beverages

Reasons to Elect George Cushingberry Jr. as President of Detroit City Council on January 6th, 2015

By The Friends of George Cushingberry


    If George Cushingberry is fortunate enough to be elected as president of City Council by his peers, the following steps will be taken, upon agreement with fellow Council Members, Mayor Duggan and, the will of the people. 

1.     Will Create a Committee on Appropriations that will be responsible for accountability  and transparency of the City of Detroit Finances.

a.       Development of a real time display of the City’s balance sheet on the website.

b.      Garbage Truck Tracking(GPS) iPhone app for City Residents who stay at home and want to know if the truck has passed their home or not.

2.     Will look into alternative ways to finance the City’s debts using sound fiscal management theory and methods. Mr. Cushingberry was the Chairman for the State of Michigan appropriations committee in the House of Representatives 2008-2010.

3.     Taking the lead in reinvestment into the City and Regional infrastructure with the expansion of the People Mover System to the Tri-County Area.

4.     Blight Removal and land revitalization through the redevelopment of idle land into homes, allowing people to build bigger homes of selected tracts of land

5.      Reaching out to low to moderate income individuals to help correct their low to moderate income status. Education is essential in the areas of carpentry, electricians, electronics, truck driving and, auto repair will give our youth something to do and look up to for a future.

6.      Will propose that by 2016, all City of Detroit vehicles be required to run on fuel grown in Michigan albeit Industrial Hemp, Corn and, other organic plants.

7.      Will work with fellow councilmembers, Mayor Duggan and President Obama to re-invest into the revitalization of the Tuskegee Airmen/Coleman Young International Airport with commercial Air Service to Toronto Canada, Florida, New York, Cleveland,  Chicago and, any other City as needed.

8.     Before President Obama leaves office we will have a revitalized Amtrak system hub in Detroit so that people do not have to drive to Dearborn to catch a train because of the parking situation. The land formally known as the Michigan State Fairgrounds will undergo a magical transition and become a transportation hub for Intermodal Bus, Train and, People Mover traffic.
 

If you support this effort, Mr. Cushingberry is requesting that you contact your district council member and request that they vote in favor of George Cushingberry Jr., for the Presidency of the City Council, representing the great and talented people of the City of Detroit. The Election will be held on January 6th, 8am 2013 in the Chamber of City Hall.

Please plan on attending to help Push for Cush as President of City Council.

 

Sincerely,

The Friends of George Cushingberry Jr.   Councilman District #2

 

Restoring the Revenue: Getting out of Bankruptcy with City Authorized Medical Marijuana Provisioning Centers and Safety Compliance Facilities

Sponsored by the Exploratory Committee to Elect George Cushingberry Jr. to Detroit City Council President.

Seminar/Fundraiser  December 21st @4pm  2627 John R, Detroit MI  48201.
Ticket/Donation $100.00  
For Tickets  Call (313) 422-5281

 

What will be the impact of  implementing into law House Bill 4271 allowing Marijuana Provisioning Centers & Safety Compliance Facilities in Detroit?

The Provisioning Centers Act, introduced by Rep. Michael Callton, (R-Nashville), empowers local communities within the state to license and regulate provisioning centers while enjoying protections from interference.  All provisioning centers will be associated with licensed Safety Compliance Facility that will test the quality of Medical Marijuana for: mold, mildew, fungi or, pesticides, before it is approved to be consumed by a registered patient.

(Click Here to read the full legislation HB4271)

The City of Detroit will have wide ranging responsibilities and, rights regarding the operation of these businesses. 

People with felonies gets no love or respect from the Michigan Legislature on this bill. Restrictions placed upon felons are an unnecessary form of discrimination and flies in the face of giving people a second chance.  

While this bill has some serious shortcomings, it is a step to fill in some of the holes of the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act of 2008.

The Implementation of this law will be a plus to the City of Detroit and, may help shorten the time that Detroit is in Bankruptcy. The City of Detroit will be able to issue licenses for these businesses to serve their customers without fear of prosecution or reprisal by City, County and State officials. Fees from the permits and, revenue from sales will go to support City Retirees and City Services. On December 12^th the bill (HB4271) has passed the House of Representatives with a vote of 496 Yeas, 95 Nays and, 14 No Votes.  The bill goes to the Michigan Senate that can add, change, or delete parts of the bill.  Supporters are urged to contact Senator Virgil Smith and friends to demand immediate passage with removing some of the restrictions on felons.  If felons can serve in the Michigan Senate then, there is no reason that a felon would not make a good provisioning center owner or caregiver.

 

Support Detroit Retirees

The new City Council leadership needs to be keenly aware of new revenue sources that will show a balanced budget by 2014, cure the bankruptcy issues and, protect the quality of life for all citizens of Detroit, especially retirees and employees of the City of Detroit.

The new City Council leadership may have to consider the inclusion of these businesses as a revenue generator and, a great opportunity for Detroit residents to create jobs and opportunities in the booming Medical Marijuana industry. According to Forbes, the Marijuana trade will generate over 10 million dollars in revenue

On December 21 @ 4pm EDT, we are asking you to come to 2627 John R in Detroit Michigan 48201, and participate in a seminar on these Provisioning Centers and Safety Compliance Centers with the Exploratory Committee to Elect George Cushingberry Jr. for Detroit City Council in 2014.  You will have one on one access to Attorneys, Civic Leaders, Activists, and Cana-businesses. 

Per City Charter (Sec. 4-103. Selection of Council President and President Pro-Tempore), The City Council shall select its President and President Pro-Tempore from among its members by majority vote of the members serving at its first regular session in 2014. The term for City Council President and President Pro-Tempore shall be four (4) years. Selection of the President and President Pro-Tempore shall be every four years.

George Cushingberry needs to have himself and 4 more of his Council-mates to support him with their vote. If elected, George Cushingberry and Mayor Duggan will come up with solutions to issues in the City of Detroit regarding Provisioning Centers and Safety Compliance Facilities.  Asking your district council member to vote for George Cushingberry Jr. as Council President just takes you contacting your district representatives and Mayor Duggan to demand that their votes be cast in favor of George Cushingberry for President of City Council in 2014.

Elect George Cushingberry to City Council President, because when it comes down to the people, he will truly represent.

Sincerely,
The Exploratory Committee to Elect George Cushingberry Jr. to President of Detroit City Council.

 



Matt Abel and Tim Beck

Scheduled List of Attendees:

Attorney Michael Kormorn of  Kormorn Law www.komornlaw.com

Attorney Matthew Abel   Cannabis Counsel PLLC. www.cannabiscounsel.com

Activist Tim Beck

Activist Adam Brook
Attorney & Detroit City Councilman George Cushingbery Jr. District #2

Managing the EFM / How to defend against the damage of un-accounted decision making

By The Friends of Cushingberry



       Some of you out there are wondering why someone would want the job as a City Council member in Detroit. The word from Lansing is that a City Council is not needed because we have been assigned a new leader from the Governor. Now this new leader can finally attack the pension system without impunity or accountability to anyone but two or three people within State Government.


Former Pension board managers have been charged in Federal Court for bribery, and mismanaging the fund for personal gain. Mayor Kilpatrick borrowed funds during the height of the financial fraud and deceit in the housing and financial markets. The result of their tenure in office was damaging the reputation innocent and caring legislators who represented Detroit in Lansing based on lies and mis-truths. Depending on who the accountant of the day is, the City pension is fully funded or close to being insolvent. Being on the city council will be a challenge, but a challenge that George Cushingberry Jr. will handle if elected to the job.

Like a baseball team that have hacked the signs from the catcher to the pitcher, signs from the first base coach to the runner, every move and counter move has been plotted and planned on by the Management of the Emergency Manager. With help from the Michigan Attorney Generals office, the pension board will be replaced by appointees of the Emergency Manager. The massive attempts to alter, or eliminate costs on the backs of the workers by reducing benefits and services will begin.

Mayors in the State of Michigan are going through the same dilemma with their employees regarding pensions. Cities like Lansing, Allen Park, and others are having the same issue regarding pension funding. Pension systems own land and other assets that can be utilized to manufacture products to compliment the funding of the fund by their employees. To resolve the funding issue, new funding sources must be investigated and implemented so that retirees and current employees can live with quality health care without the worry of being put out in the streets. City employees did not come to work for over 30+ years to give their time and lives to make their work meaningless.
 

For instance City retiree funds could be used to fix, upgrade, and maintain Belle Isle with upgraded facilities. Just like a senior discount at the fast food places, City retirees and residents would get a discount on services and events on the island. Investments in City assets like Coleman Young International Airport with regional flights to cites in the US and Canada will enhance the fund with increased business is a possible revenue generator.   Another possiblity is investing in Michigan's farmland for the purpose of growing crops of plants that can be manufactured into useful products for sale.

City residents have the power of the ballot initiative to force change on government when the Mayor and City Council cannot make a decision in a timely manner. This is the perfect counter-attack from the people on a rouge State Legislature and City Leadership. The bottom line is that we have to look at ways to maintain and add value to the employee pension system with innovative thoughts and sound planning. Making sure that city retirees don't become sacrificial lambs at the hands of the wolves is my priority. It's time Push change with Cush on the City Council for the rebirth, revitalization, and re-investment into the land that we know as the City of Detroit

 

Re-energizing a new Detroit on the land that was known as the Michigan State Fair.

By Hardcore Detroit,

               A coalition of community groups and developers have different visions on what should be put on the land that once occupied the Michigan State Fair.  At the time of this writing, there are two groups that are vying for the rights to redevelop the land. The first group Magic Plus LLC, led by Magic Johnson and Marvin Beatty would include a shopping mall and a new Amtrak station among other things. The second group Michigan Energy Technology Agriculture (META) Group wants to place more homes and office buildings on the same land.

               These are the issues being discussed with the Michigan Land Bank Fast Track Authority and developers to revitalize the land between 7 and 8 Mile road, between Woodward and John R. Currently, this area is a tragic outgrowth of what happened during the foreclosure crisis with streets full of abandoned homes. Some of the homes were absolutely gorgeous and structurally sound, only to be turned into slums by the banks that let them get looted for pipes, water tanks, and other home fixtures.

               Omni-directional transportation is a must in the city.  While focusing on north and south issues in Detroit, there is an east and west issue too.  The mile roads in Detroit deserve the same respect as Woodward Avenue in regards to transportation.  If there is going to be a light rail system, let it run up and down Gratiot and Grand River.  This would also include east and west rail from places like Fairlane all the way east to the Eastland Mall property for instance.  Everyone does not live close to 8 mile and this would be a solution for getting to destinations from the east and west. 

Both plans include a new AMTRAK Train station. The current AMTRAK station on Woodward and Milwaukee is too small and lacks the parking needed to serve customers. People are currently going to Dearborn to get on the train because of the condition of the station, parking, and not having to climb the stairs to get to a train.  By putting an AMTRAK Station at the fairgrounds, this would be a complete transportation hub for busses and, a people mover type of light rail system in the City of Detroit and surrounding areas. AMTRAK connections to  Chicago, Flint, Pontiac and beyond will be greatly enhanced with the new Amtrak station.

META Technology Group has a YouTube video presentation regarding their plan to re-develop the area(click here to view video). As of this writing, Magic Plus LLC does not have a video presentation available to view to show their plan.  Otherwise the Michigan Land Bank Fast Track authority is taking public and written comment on the State Fair property. You can contact them at landbank@michigan.gov or by calling (517) 335-8212. Either way you choose, the future of Detroit is looking very promising.

Michigan Legislators seek to water down the Michigan Medical Marijuana law by proposing costly and dangerous changes to the language.

By. Richard C. Clement

On Feb. 23 a scheduled hearing in Room 519 of the House Office Building headed by Reps. Ken Horn, R-Frankenmuth, and Phil Cavanaugh, D-Redford Township. The meeting will focus on the bipartisan work on Michigan’s Medical Marijuana law.  This will include a presentation by the group to address the proposed changes.

The result of this meeting has generated four bills if enacted into a law, will increase the prison population,  bog down law enforcement resources and, add needless regulation to undermine the wishes of the people.    This meeting will attempt to address the horrendous backlog of 6 months to one year for processing applicants to the program.  Currently caregivers have to wait one year to receive a card in the mail.  New and renewal applicants have to wait up to 7 months for their physical card to arrive in the mail. 

Medical Marijuana card mailed on it's expiration date

The only explanation for this is insubordination by the Department of Licensing and Regulation management in timely processing of applications and the acquisition of resources to properly address the demand.   This program has been existence for over 3 years and as of this date, the turnaround time is getting longer by the week with no relief in sight.  Instead of serving the public as required, these employees are serving themselves through substandard use of technology and ambivalence toward the participants in the program.   If the Department of Treasury can process mailed in tax forms (Schedule 1040, Tax Credits, etc.) in 6 weeks, then the Michigan Medical Marijuana program can do better with just 3 forms to process. We have documented proof to show that a caregiver got his physical card one year to the day they applied for it. The card was expired when it arrived to the caregiver in the mail.  

House Bill 4834 is a measure requiring photo ID for registered patients and limited access by law enforcement to the medical marihuana registry; (Click Here for a full copy of the bill)

 A solution to this problem is to amend House Bill 4834 to require a timely turnaround of a maximum 20 days for a card to be in the possession of an applicant as mandated by law.  Information sharing shall be monitored by the Auditor General to insure that the Department of State Police does not receive medical information but, just enough information to say that the card is valid or not. 

(State of California Online Card Validation Link)

House Bill 4851 is a piece of legislation requiring a bona fide doctor-patient relationship to end the current practice of doctors certifying patients without even seeing the patients in person. (Click Here for a full copy of this bill)

On the surface House Bill 4851 looks legit until you compare internet use by other licensed professionals such as Judges in Ingham County and 54-A district court in Lansing.  If 54-A District Court Judge Hugh Clarke can sit at the bench with a cup of coffee, watch prisoners on TV, and send people to jail, then the internet doctors shall be afforded the same protection under the law.   Doctors have medical records online already so this is just a matter of using common sense.

House Bill 4853 is a piece of legislation amending sentencing guidelines consistent with the MMMA. (Click Here for a full copy of 4853)

By far House Bill 4853 is the most outrageous and dangerous bill ever conceived by the Michigan Legislature.  If this bill is enacted into law, the simple act of handing a marihuana cigarette to another person that is also a patient will earn up to 2 years in prison with a felony conviction.  This will guarantee an immediate rise in the number of citizens incarcerated in the Michigan prison system with the increased cost to go with it. Send an email to Rep. John Walsh and Rep. Phil Cavanaugh and tell them to remove all references to Marihuana in this bill.

House Bill 4856 a bill that is an attempt to circumvent the current Michigan Medical Marijuana law by defining the "appropriate" transport of medical marihuana. (Click here for a full reading of bill 4856)

House Bill 4856 and the word clarification shall not be used in the same sentence. If this bill becomes law a patient would have to carry their medicine in a lock-box in the trunk of the car just like their pistol.  A violation of this law will earn you a 90+ day in jail sentence, $100 fine and a misdemeanor conviction. Despite the implications of impairment under the influence of Marijuana, there are NO current studies and factual evidence that can compare the degree of impairment based on the amount of Marijuana in a person’s system.  Groups like Myth Busters often run with their heads tucked between their tails when a test of this magnitude was suggested.   A legitimate study sponsored and supported by organizations such as NORML, Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), and others will put this myth to rest. 

We the people hired these politicians with our vote and we can fire them with our vote also.  Doing a recall drive is a strong message to let your elected official know that if you continue to disregard the bi-partisan majority of Michigan voters now, you will pay for it in August and September.  Please be aware that all 83 county prosecutors and county sheriffs are up for re-election in the fall.  Furthermore the redrawing of political maps has subjected these same individuals to the pitfalls/benefits of redistricting.  If you support the Michigan Medical Marijuana law then you should do the following:

1.      Find out who is running for the new districts in the August primaries and the November general election. 

2.      Contact via email and phone State Representative John Walsh (R-Livonia) and Phil Cavanaugh (D-Redford Township) and let them know that you are a constituent that supports Marijuana reform in Michigan and tell them to vote no on House Bills 4851, 4853, and 4856.   Vote to amend House Bill 4834 to address the one year backlog by the Department of Licensing and Regulation in the processing of applications to the Michigan Medical Marihuana program.

3.      Inform your county prosecutor and county sheriff that you will vote for their removal in November if any of these bills becomes law.

Your voice needs to be heard loud and clear in Lansing and the time is now.  Make sure to sign the petition to repeal prohibition at a location near you.  Please refer to the website www.repealtoday.org  to get a location to sign a petition to repeal prohibition.  Time is of the essence and it is time to make your stand.  We are the %63 percent and it is time to represent.  Vote green in 2012 for pro-cannabis candidates in August and November.

 Contact Info:

Rep. John Walsh (Website Info)

Rep. Ken Horn (Website Info)

Rep. Phil Cavanaugh (Website Info)