Good afternoon. My name is Anjleena Kour Sahni. I am the advancing racial & economic justice policy advocate with the ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties.
I’m here to urge this board to vote “no” on the resolution to support Proposition 36 (Prop 36).
Prop 36 is a dangerous measure built on false narratives. The proponents of this measure claim that it will address rising crime and retail theft, but from 2019 to 2022, property crime rates in the City of San Diego decreased by 18 percent and shoplifting rates in the county decreased by 21 percent.
Prop 47, passed in 2014, reallocated more than $800 million in corrections funding to mental health, substance use treatment, trauma recovery, reentry, crime prevention and K-12 public school programs. Prop 36, if passed, would end these investments and undo Prop 47’s progress. Prop 36 would also have a disproportionate impact on people of color.
This measure will increase county criminal legal costs. According to the State Legislative Analyst’s office, Prop 36 will increase county costs “by tens of millions of dollars annually.”
If passed, Prop 36 will result in more incarceration and less safety across the state.
We strongly urge you to vote against this resolution.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
