Scott Beale / Laughing Squid

A bill to allow incurably ill patients to legally purchase marijuana is up for consideration in the Minnesota Senate. The Medical Use of Marijuana bill (SF 97) is nearly identical to a bill that passed the Senate last year and almost passed the House. It enjoys partisan support this year, although last year Gov. Tim Pawlenty indicated he would veto such a bill so long as law enforcement opposed it.

The Medical Use of Marijuana bill would make it legal for patients to procure up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana from a state-regulated nonprofit, only with a physician’s approval and only to those patients who have registered with the state as medical marijuana users. The bill lays down harsh penalties for patients and nonprofits that dispense marijuana to individuals that aren’t qualified by state registration.

Two Republicans are co-authors on this year’s bill. Sens. Geoff Michel of Edina and Debbie Johnson of Ham Lake have signed on to support the bill, as have Sens. Steve Murphy of Red Wing, Linda Higgins of Minneapolis and John Marty of Roseville. A similar bill is expected to be introduced in the House this month and will likely have similar bipartisan support.

Fourteen states allow the medical use of marijuana, from libertarian Alaska and Montana to liberal Vermont and California. If Minnesota passes legislation this year, it would become the second state in the Midwest to do so. Michigan passed a medical marijuana law in 2008.

Public polling in Minnesota shows that legalizing medical marijuana is a popular public policy goal. Last year, a KSTP/SurveyUSA poll showed support from 64 percent of Minnesotans, including 58 percent of Republicans. Minnesotans have favored the legalization of marijuana by more than 60 percent in most public opinion polls over the last 10 years.

Photo: Scott Beale, Laughing Squid

Freshmen Reps. Bobby Joe Champion (pictured) and Jeff Hayden (the only two African-Americans in the Legislature) were on hand, along with veteran state Sen. Linda Higgins. “The reality is that people are really, really frightened,” Hayden said at the start of the discussion.

The details of possible economic upheaval, however, were left to Bill Marx, chief fiscal analyst for the Minnesota House of Representatives. Before he took to the microphone, audience members were given a friendly warning: “Now matter what he says, you can’t hit Mr. Marx.”

There were no physical threats issued against the economist as he explained the ugly details of the current budget situation, but plenty of questions and commentary. While the state’s economic plight was ostensibly the topic of the evening, most of the dialogue gravitated to the seemingly intractable troubles of the North Side. How can the area get its fair share of lottery revenues? What transportation improvements will the North Side see from the increase in the gas tax? How can the neighborhood prepare to reap the benefits from the looming federal stimulus package?

Marx was frequently at a loss to answer these pointed questions. The state bureaucrat could detail exactly how much of Minnesota’s budget is derived from “health impact fees,” but he was at a loss to explain how lottery revenues might improve the lives of poor folks in North Minneapolis.

The local politicians did their best to step in and placate the audience. “Nobody likes the journey that we’re on,” said Champion. “Nobody like the options on the table.”

One economic detail from Marx’s presentation clearly resonated with audience members: the minuscule portion (3.4 percent or $1.9 million) of the state’s budget derived from corporate income taxes. “It’s unconscionable that corporate taxes account for less than 5 percent of our budget,” noted one person, sparking a murmur of assent in the audience.

Marx finally made it through his power-point presentation after roughly two hours. His last point: the projected $4.8 billion deficit for the 2009-10 biennium is only expected to get worse when the latest budget forecast is released next month.

Despite the gloomy economic picture, Higgins implored residents to show up at the Capitol and make sure the area gets its fair share of what tax revenues are available.

“North Minneapolis can show up,” she said. “We will show up. We must show up.”

Other guests include state Rep. Joe Mullery, state Sen. Linda Higgins, and ACORN finance director Jordan Ash, who was a part of Attorney General Lori Swanson’s Task Force Against Predatory Lending.

Ellison will be discussing federal legislation being proposed to oppose predatory lending as well as the growing rate of home foreclosures in the 5th District.

According to Sunday’s Star Tribune, 1.2 million homes were foreclosed on in 2006, a 42 percent increase over 2005, and 100,000 more homes than were sold in the same year.

What: Town Hall Forum on predatory lending

When: 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 26

Where: Jenny Lind Elementary School, 5025 Bryant Ave. N., Minneapolis