To see where California Democrats stand on the tough-on-crime Proposition 36, look at where they sit. On one side of the ballot-measure contest are top Democrats, including Gov. Gavin Newsom and Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, who have fought efforts to roll back parts of Prop 47, the landmark 2014 criminal justice ballot initiative that downgraded some theft and drug crimes from felonies to misdemeanors, Politico reports. On the other side are big-city mayors like San Francisco's London Breed and San Diego's Todd Gloria, who have argued that strengthened penalties are necessary to assuage their constituents’ growing concerns about public safety. They have been joined by organizations like the League of California Cities and the California Contract Cities Association, which represent the interests of city hall officials statewide. San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan and two local officials — Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho and Elk Grove Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen — are launching their own committee supporting Prop 36. They hope the Common Sense for Safety committee will open space for other Democratic office-holders willing to cross Newsom and other prominent state officials. “We see the consequences on the ground every day,” said Santa Monica Mayor Phil Brock. “Look at Mayor Breed, Mayor Mahan, mayors down here in southern California — we’re exasperated, we’re frustrated, and so many days we feel helpless. We need some help... ”
When prosecutors and big-box retailers came forward this year with their initiative to restore harsh penalties for non-violent crimes, Newsom and legislative leaders began working to get it off the ballot. After failing to persuade the initiative’s proponents to drop their quest and abandoning plans to promote an anti-crime measure of their own, the Capitol’s top Democrats are leading the charge against Prop 36. They warn the measure will take California back to the era of mass incarceration and cost taxpayers millions of dollars. It has not stopped Democratic mayors and other local officeholders from coming out in favor of the initiative. Yes on Prop 36, the main campaign committee supporting the initiative, has put out a steady drumbeat of endorsements from local-level politicians, including many Democrats. “My great fear is that by decriminalizing low-level crime, we have allowed people’s conditions to deepen and worsen,” Mahan said ahead of his group’s launch in which he promoted Prop 36 as crucial to tackling interconnected problems in his city, including homelessness.
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