Opinion

Chances are high pot measure will pass

Former Mayor Willie Brown poses for a portrait at his apartment in the St. Regis Hotel on Thursday July 31, 2008 in San Francisco, Calif. Former Mayor Willie Brown poses for a portrait at his apartment in the St. Regis Hotel on Thursday July 31, 2008 in San Francisco, Calif. Photo: Mike Kepka, The Chronicle Photo: Mike Kepka, The Chronicle Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Chances are high pot measure will pass 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

That proposed ballot initiative to legalize marijuana in California for people 21 and older - and let local government tax the sales - has a good chance of passing.

People are no longer outraged by the idea of legalization, and truth be told, there is just too much money to be made both by the people who grow marijuana and the cities and counties that would be able to tax it.

Unlike the 1970s, when Mayor George Moscone first moved to decriminalize pot, marijuana is no longer about hippies. Thanks to medical marijuana, pot has moved from the alleyways to Main Street, with pot clubs springing up all over the state.

And let's be honest for a moment. How many of the people going into those clubs do you think are really sick? Anyone who has observed those operations knows that much of the pot is being used recreationally anyway, so we might as well have a discussion about whether to bring it out in the open.

You might think the Legislature would pick up on this, and indeed Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, D-San Francisco, has made a proposal to legalize and tax pot. But although legalizing marijuana fits both Republicans' libertarian instincts and Democrats' progressivism, they won't touch it with a 10-foot-long pack of rolling papers.

For all our weak-kneed politicians, however, I don't see any organized opposition to legal pot on the horizon. So if the pot growers put their money in the right places, they win in 2010.

I was at College Preparatory School in Oakland on Wednesday night. It's one of those schools where the parents all wear Birkenstocks and the tuition rivals Stanford University's.

I was there for a broadcast with Will Durst. Of course, the hottest topic was Oakland's raising of parking rates and fines.

Grand Lake Theatre owner Allen Michaan, who has been threatening the City Council with a recall unless it roll backs the changes, got up and blasted the daylights out of the council members.

I asked him if he used the same tone when he made his presentation to the City Council.

He said yes.

I asked him how the council had responded. He said they stayed there until 1 o'clock in the morning and wound up doing absolutely nothing.

You know why, I asked. When you trash them the way you trashed them, of course they are going to freeze up.

Tone down your rhetoric. Get some dialogue going. That might actually lead to some change.

My take on Meg Whitman's candidacy for governor: She is obviously former Republican Gov. Pete Wilson's pick. She can put upwards of $150 million of her own money into the race. And if she learns a bit about how state government really runs, she just might be the next CEO of eCal.

Time to talk football.

After today, we should have a pretty decent idea how good the 49ers are.

Minnesota has a first-class defensive unit, the best runner in football and a Hall of Fame quarterback. It ought to be interesting.

The Raiders, however, are in trouble. Either quarterback JaMarcus Russell can't see the receivers or there's something wrong with his arm accuracy.

Apparently, the Raiders plan to stay with him, no matter what. That's a great confidence builder for him, but it doesn't do a whole lot for the team.

The question I've been asked most often this past week is, "What do I think of Gavin and Jennifer naming their first baby Montana?"

I say, Jennifer better watch out. He's got 49 more states to go.