The News-Gazette is reporting that per an Urbana City Council meeting — the fine for possessing marijuana could be drastically lower soon:
A ticket for cannabis in Urbana could cost less than the marijuana itself after the city council directed staff to draft an ordinance reducing tickets from $300 to $5.
Council member Aaron Ammons proposed the change after an hourslong discussion of the recommendation of the IDOT Traffic Stop Task Force, and it was seconded by member Eric Jakobsson. In a voice vote, there were no “nays”, though some members were skeptical of such a low fine.
….
Ammons said officers have the discretion to give a warning ticket for speeding and other illegal activities, and they should be able to use discretion in giving out cannabis tickets.
“If it applies to speeding, why can’t it apply to marijuana?” Ammons said.
….
Mayor Laurel Prussing pointed out that Urbana is already more progressive than most central Illinois cities: “We are doing more than most cities to help people avoid state charges.”
We’ll see if the “ordered” reduction comes to pass soon enough.
