From: Cynthia Replogle
To: City Council
Subject: Item 12.B: Don"t support Prop 36
Date: Saturday,August 31,2024 3:12:08 PM
External Email
When I saw that a resolution of support for Prop 36 was on your agenda, I had to wonder why the City feels the need to weigh in on this. Unfortunately, the staff report reads like Republican talking points rather than an objective assessment.
With Donald Trump on the campaign trail falsely claiming that in California, "You're allowed to rob a store as long as it's not more than $950," it smacks of partisan politics for Pismo Beach to come out in support of an initiative to roll back the law he's criticizing with misleading rhetoric. Natasha Minsker, a policy adviser for Smart Justice California, says "The Republican Party in California is very explicit that this initiative will help them turn out voters." Democrats say having the initiative on the ballot is a Republican tactic designed to stoke voters' fears.
It's irrelevant whether you personally support rolling back Prop 47 to lock up more mostly low-income people, rather than spending the $100 million annual prison savings on other more beneficial public services. It's not appropriate for the Pismo Beach City Council to take a distinctly Republican stance which does not represent the views of our city's residents on an issue not in the Council's purview. In this instance, just do nothing.
Further reading:
Proposition 47's Impact on California's Criminal Justice System What exactly is Prop. 47? And how could California voters change it this year? CalMatters Prop 36 guide
Best,
Cynthia Replogle
Pismo Beach resident
Pronouns: she/her/hers