Correspondence - #21 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Flores, Dora From: Pat Davis <noreply@adv.actionnetwork.org> Sent: Monday, September 16, 2024 5:02 PM To: eComment Subject: Focus on Prevention & Rehabilitation, Not Punishment! Oppose Proposition 36! Attention: This email originated from outside of City of Santa Ana. Use caution when opening attachments or links. Santa Ana City Council, Dear Mayor Amezcua and the Santa Ana City Council, As a resident of Orange County and a frequent shopper in Santa Ana, our county seat, I urge you to vote NO on the proposed resolution supporting Proposition 36. Supporting Proposition 36 would have negative consequences for Santa Ana's most vulnerable residents and undo years of progress in criminal justice reform. This measure, which emphasizes punishment, would lead to higher incarceration rates, especially affecting communities of color, worsening racial inequities. As a leader in our county, your approval city's approval of such is also NOT a good example for other cities in our county. Proposition 47, passed in 2014, has saved over $800 million and reduced racial disparities by redirecting funds to essential services like mental health care and homelessness prevention. Programs such as Project Kinship and Neutral Ground have helped residents reintegrate post -incarceration, reducing recidivism and promoting public safety. Endorsing Proposition 36 would return us to the failed "tough on crime" policies, increasing the prison population and racial disparities without addressing root causes of crime like poverty and substance use. Proposition 36 would also divert critical funds from education, housing, and job training, worsening homelessness and economic instability in the City. As a sanctuary city, Santa Ana must protect its immigrant and refugee populations. Proposition 36 could increase deportations and family separations, disproportionately harming immigrant communities. Instead of supporting this costly and ineffective measure, we urge the City to continue focusing on justice and rehabilitation. Please vote NO on the proposed resolution supporting Proposition 36 and support evidence -based solutions for safer, healthier communities.