San Francisco weighs decriminalizing prostitution

San Francisco weighs decriminalizing prostitution

The ballot question technically would not legalize prostitution since state law still prohibits it, but the measure would eliminate the power of local law enforcement officials to go after prostitutes.

This is interesting... regardless of the issue of prostitution itself, do a city have the "power" to inforce state law or the "responsibility" to do so. If I just have the power to do something, then I can choose to do it or now. But I can't choose to not do my responsibilities.

I'm all in favor of putting power and responsibility at the lowest level possible, and if this was a part of a larger "cities rights" package (as in "states rights") I could support it as a compromise. But as it is, I don't think a city has the right to NOT enforce a state law (just like a city can't ignore a right guaranteed in the state constitution, or ignore a state court ruling, etc)

Interesting times we live in these days....