10/27/08

Prop. 6 Police and law enforcement funding, criminal penelties and laws


Officially asks for:
-requires minimum of 965 million each year to be allocated from state general fund for police, sheriffs, district attorneys, adult probation, jails and juvenile probation facilities. Some of this funding will increase in following years according to California Consumer Price Index
-Makes approximately 30 revisions to California criminal law, many of which cover gang related offenses. Revisions create multiple new crimes and additional penalties, some with she potential for new life sentences
-Increases penalties for violating a gang-related injunction and for felons carrying guns under certain conditions.

argument for:
our government does not do enough to keep us safe from gangs and violent offenders. Returns taxpayer money to local law enforcement. Redirects 1% of California's budget to local law enforcement without raising taxes. keeps our children safe. Every california sheriff and various law enforcement say yes on 7

against:
this year's props are full of proposals that sound good on first reading, but in reality will savage our economy without doing what they promise. prop 6 is a good example. Massive new spending is proposed. wastes money on ineffective programs without any oversight. The bulk of the money goes to "citizens options for public safety" a program reviewed by the state's independent legislative analyst and found to have "no definable goals" and "no identifiable results"

my take:
Raised taxes or not we pay it all. The bulk of this money as I understand it is just a giant piggy bank for random people to pull from. They don't have a specific purpose with it and they don't have to show anything tangible to justify receiving it. It equates to, "here is a billion dollars, I trust you will do good with it. Of course by good I mean nothing specific and I won't be checking to see what is done with it so go buy blow and hookers for all I care. I didn't write the check? FUCKIN' PARTY!!!"

final word:
I shall say NO to 6. I'm tired of these vague claims. Politics is too often reduced to generalized fear inducing statements. It needs to stop. Voting NO on 6 is a way to say clean your shit up and make a real argument and maybe I will consider your side next time.

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