California lawmakers and law enforcement officials are callingGov. Gavin Newsom’s revised budgeta slap in the face to voters after he refused to fund an initiative to hold criminals accountable.
Despite a nearly $350 billion revised budget that was buoyed by the state’s AI-driven economy — and allegedly erasedstructural deficits in the coming years— Newsom refused to commit any new funding for Proposition 36 in a budget reveal Thursday.
Thetough-on-crime ballot measure from 2024created stricter penalties for retail theft, mandated drug and mental health treatment, and created more tools to hold criminals accountable.
The California District Attorneys Association, California State Sheriffs’ Association and Chief Probation Officers of California issued a joint statement slamming Newsom for failing to allocate any new funds.
“Governor Newsom has again turned his back, denying communities across the state the resources they need to enforce the law and save lives,” officials said.
“With their hands tied by a lack of funding, law enforcement, prosecutors, and probation officers cannot fully hold offenders accountable or steer them into the treatment they desperately need.”
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Newsom opposed Prop. 36 at the time of its proposal, but it stillpassed with overwhelming support from California voters. However, the measure did not require dedicated, long-term funding.
The law authorizes felony charges for possession of drugs including fentanyl and for thefts under $950 if the offender has two prior drug or theft convictions. It also created a new category of crime called “treatment-mandated felony” that allows a person to have their drug conviction set aside if they complete rehab.
A one-time state budget allocation of $100 million hasfailed to move the needle, leading both Republican and Democratic state lawmakers to request funding as high as $600 million annually.
Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos
