City to Pay Poet’s Legal Fees

The City of Santa Barbara is liable for the $60,000 in legal defense fees incurred by proponents of Measure P-last year’s successful ballot initiative declaring marijuana possession to be a low law enforcement priority. The City Council sued Heather Poet, the named proponent who put the measure on the ballot, saying the initiative encroached on their constitutional authority to set priorities. The city lost that lawsuit, and has to pay Poet’s legal bills.