California’s governor is praising a crackdown on crime to prevent the expected passage of Proposition 36

After a visit across the state’s border with Mexico, Governor Gavin Newsom praised California’s efforts over the past year to tackle organized shoplifting and other property crimes that lead to overwhelming support for a ballot measure That would tighten penalties for theft and drug crimes.

The two issues are inextricably linked, as Newsom and his legislative allies have recently done passed a package of anti-theft laws to undermine the purpose of Proposition 36, perhaps the most prominent statewide voter initiative on the November 5 ballot

During a virtual press conference Monday, Newsom highlighted the latest results from a $267 million funding blitz for state and local law enforcement to tackle property crimes, including organized shoplifting and thefts that have attracted widespread attention through numerous viral videos. To date, the effort launched in September 2023 has resulted in just over 10,000 arrests for retail, auto and cargo theft cases, according to Newsom’s office and the California Highway Patrol.

Local achievements highlighted by Newsom included a police effort in the South Bay, including the San Jose Police Department, the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office and the Campbell Police Department, to arrest more than a dozen people connected to a Home Depot theft. Another 16 people have been charged in the county with organized retail crime and related violent crimes involving the use of state funds, according to the governor’s office.

In Oakland and the East Bay, the funding has supported 1,125 arrests for property crimes, the seizure of 110 guns and the recovery of 2,123 vehicles, CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee said Monday.

But the broader direction of the press conference, when reporters were allowed to ask Newsom questions, returned to Proposal 36the ballot measure that aims to reduce serial theft by repealing the $950 threshold for felony theft and tightens penalties for drug trafficking that has fueled the fentanyl and opioid crises. It would also revive a drug court infrastructure that gives those arrested for certain types of drug possession the choice of going to a court-supervised drug rehab facility or facing a prison sentence of up to three years.

The measure is receiving about 70% support from California voters according to multiple polls released over the past month, and it looks like a comfortable passage will follow next Tuesday. Newsom acknowledged as much Monday, citing “the prevailing winds,” but reiterated his opposition to the measure, calling it “a very lazy response to a serious problem and a complex problem” that includes drug abuse and homelessness.

He reiterated long-standing talking points for opponents of the measure, arguing that it would not come with funding and that funding from Proposal 1 — which was passed by voters in March to add 6,800 beds to the state’s treatment capacity — cannot easily be collected to fulfill Proposition 36’s promises.

“Those dollars were targeted at specific strategies to address chronic mental illness,” Newsom said.

Advocates, who have the state’s electorate firmly behind them, argue that Proposition 47 — passed in 2014 to move low-level offenders out of prison and into diversion and rehabilitation programs — has led to rampant shoplifting and other drug-fueled property crimes , and that Proposition 36 is a response to the ineffectiveness of current policies.

On Monday, the official Yes on 36 campaign used what is almost the last of its nearly $14 million fundraising chest to launch a digital ad that has the support of former Los Angeles mayor and Assembly speaker Antonio Villaraigosa and Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper, sending out the message “The beating and grabbing of criminals caused stores to raise prices, lock up items and close their doors,” tapping into voters’ frustrations with crime trends.

Newsom said at the news conference that he “cannot in good conscience support it” and that “I hope people take the time to understand what they are supporting.” He then pointed to A report from the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office It is estimated that Proposition 36 would increase state costs by at least “several tens of millions of dollars,” and up to “the low hundreds of millions of dollars” by increasing the prison population.

Originally published: October 28, 2024 at 4:20 PM PDT