San Diego County's Board of Supervisors voted against endorsing Proposition 36, with a 3-2 decision that underscores the deep divisions over criminal justice and funding for homelessness, mental health, and addiction services. According to a report by Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, a County of San Diego staff analysis identified that the passage of Proposition 36 could result in the loss of approximately $14 million in state funding allocated for these critical services.
The analysis further explained that an additional $58 million would need to be siphoned from other county investments into the criminal justice system if Prop 36 was to pass. Supervisor Lawson-Remer, a figure instrumental in the County’s progress in behavioral health and homelessness services, remarked, “Getting rid of the successful programs that provide treatment for people abusing drugs and alcohol will create more criminals, and will result in hundreds more people living on our streets,” as per her statement on her official news page.
On the opposing end, Supervisors Joel Anderson and Jim Desmond, alongside District Attorney Summer Stephan, remained proponents of Prop 36. Desmond, in a statement detailed by Patch, posited that the measure was essential for community safety and claimed, "The voters will ultimately have the final say, and I believe they’ll choose a safer, stronger future for us all." Arguments from this camp highlight a poignant concern over organized retail thefts and the implications of Proposition 47's reclassification of non-violent felonies, which they perceive as being too lenient under current conditions.
Social justice advocates took advantage of a brief public hearing to urge the board to reject Prop 36. One member from Pillars of Community labeled the proposition deceptive, as cited by Patch, adding, "We aren't afraid of people who are under-resourced, but we are afraid of people who believe that people who are under-resourced deserve to be thrown in prison."