Money Matters, the cost of proposition 6

But, how much will this proposition cost? And where will it all be allocated?? Well, combating gang violence is not cheap, and neither is Proposition 6.

Safe Neighborhood Act increases criminal state and local programs by $365 million in 2009-2010, plus adjustment for inflation. This increase results in the spending of almost $1 billion, which would still not meet unforeseeable needs.

The measure would invest $115 (31.6%) million on Juvenile & Adult Probation, $143.5 (39.4%) on Law Enforcement, $53.5 (14.7) on Prevention and Rehabilitation and the rest on a number of other smaller pockets.

In addition, a one-time half billion dollars will need to be spent in prisons to accommodate for more prisoners.

Other costs are also unforeseeable. Costs in trial courts, county jails and other facilities are uncertain. The Preventative measures in this bill are not quite clear. They may perhaps reduce the need of these facilities, the need is unclear.

Thus, an actual clear cost is not available. It is unknown how much will actually be invested in order to meet the needs of this bill. The question then becomes, where will this money come from?

The answer is that it will be drawn from the General Fund. 1% of the General Fund will be utilized for this measure, regardless of its effectiveness.

Important questions can be formed from this. How effective will gang- prevention programs be? How much more crowded will prisons become? Can this sum be modified in times of economic crisis? Is there another way of combating this crime? These have not and perhaps can not be answered by anyone quite yet.


Legislative Analyst’s Office
http://www.lao.ca.gov/ballot/2007/070919.aspx

No on 6
http://www.votenoprop6.com/facts_facts.html