THE PROPOSITIONS: Prop. 6 – A Poison Pill for California

LAST WEEK I ASSIGNED some of my smart USC students to each write a 300-word news story explaining one of the propositions that will appear on the California ballot on Tuesday.

Below you’ll find clips from the resulting commentaries, with still more to come tomorrow.

(USC student Holly Villamagna’s assessment of Prop. 11, posted earlier, may be found here.)

ALSO TOMORROW, A FULL LIST OF ENDORSEMENTS.

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first…PROP. 6

Proposition 6 is a 30-page monster that is arguably the worst thing on the November 4 ballot—even worse, in some ways, than the loathsome Prop. 8 because the social and fiscal razor-blades it contains are so perniciously disguised.

When students, Sarah Eigner, Dina Diaz, and Chelsea Dunlap, researched the issue, they got quickly to the heart of the complicated and deceivingly written proposition (and they did it with out any nudging or cues from me).

Here’s what they wrote:

Sarah Eigner notes that:

Prop. Six, also known as the Safe Neighborhoods Act and the Runner Initiative, calls for new state spending on various criminal justice programs. The bill would increase prison and parole operation costs and reclassify any youth 14-years or older convicted of gang-related crimes as adults.

Six would also require that occupants of public housing submit annual criminal records and those residents would risk expulsion if their record showed recent criminal offenses…..

Sarah also notes that:

The main donor and supporter of the initiative is Henry Nicholas recently withdrew his vocal support; however, left his $1,000,000 donation intact. Sources revealed that Nicholas pled not guilty on charges that included drug use, security fraud and conspiracy. He was also charged with possession of methamphetamines. Ironically, Prop. Six targets such dealers and calls for harsher punishment in drug related crimes, specifically methamphetamines.

Ooops.

Dina Diaz quotes Congresswoman Barbara Lee, who said of Prop 6:

“In light of the current California budget crisis, we cannot afford to irresponsibly spend even more California tax-dollars on a failed policy of only funding prisons and criminalizing youth.”

And here’s Chelsea Dunlap’s full rundown:

While Proposition 6 is a proposal concerning law enforcement, both supporters and opponents claim it is really about the children. Supporters vow the initiative will keep the streets safe for our youth, while opponents assert the measures will take money from the education of these same kids.

In essence, Prop 6 would make numerous changes to the criminal justice system. It would establish new crimes, increase penalties for particular offenses and modify juvenile law.

And it would increase funding by at least $365 million yearly.

No matter the standpoint, Prop 6 is expensive. The measures it calls for will cost state taxpayers more than one billion in the first year alone. With the weak economy and California facing a state budget deficit of over $15 billion, this seems like quite a large sum of money.

However, proponents claim Prop 6 is worth the price tag. They claim the spending is necessary to lower gang crimes, making neighborhoods safe for our nation’s children. They also assert it will create effective intervention programs to stop young kids from ever joining these gangs.

But opponents take a different view – citing the fact that California already spends more than 4 times per prisoner than per public school student. The money that goes towards the measures Prop 6 calls for could threaten funding for schools and other public safety programs. With the 1% of the General Fund Prop 6 would cost; the state could lose 15,000 elementary schoolteacher salaries, among other things.

And what about those juvenile laws that Prop 6 includes? Opponents say the measures will put children in jail for inconsequential crimes, and then keep them there longer. Any youth 14 years or older who is tried for a gang-related crime will not be given a trial in a juvenile court or [if convicted] housed in a youth prison.

Is this really what is best for the children?

author’s tag: Proposition 6 is a long and complicated initiative. I tired to include relevant ideas for both sides. In my personal opinion, I would vote “no” on Prop 6.