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Republicrats Ignore CA Residents, Move to Fund New Prison...
As indicated below, we lost this round in Sacramento late last night, BUT
the struggle to stop the Delano Prison continues. As we knew, the odds against us were big, but the fight continues....Thanks for all your support! In Solidarity, Critical Resistance
the struggle to stop the Delano Prison continues. As we knew, the odds against us were big, but the fight continues....Thanks for all your support! In Solidarity, Critical Resistance
note: There are rumors of a creative action in the near future to draw attention to how Gov Davis and other state republicrats have sold California residents out, in favor of fattening their own pockets with campaign contributions and soft money from the Prison Guards "union"(CCPOA). ... coming soon
LEGISLATORS IGNORE PUBLIC OPINION; MOVE TO FUND $595
MILLION DELANO PRISON
VOTE COMES DESPITE $23 BILLION SHORTFALL, DECLINING PRISON
POPULATION & POLL SUPPORTING FREEZE ON PRISON CONSTRUCTION FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 14, 2002
CONTACT: Rose Braz
(510)444-0484 Office (510)289-5258 Cell
SACRAMENTO, CA - Despite a $23 billion deficit, a declining prison population and a statewide
poll finding that Californians strongly favor a freeze on state prison building, the joint budget
conference committee late last night voted to fund the controversial $595 million Delano prison
plan.
"It's telling that in the midst of the worst budget crisis in a decade, the prison guards get a 34%
raise, a $595 million new prison and the Corrections' budget is going up, not down," commented
Rose Braz, Director of Critical Resistance, part of the statewide coalition fighting the prison plan.
"You really do get a lot of bang for your buck in Sacramento when you're the number one
contributor to state legislative races," continued Braz, noting that the state's powerful prison guards'
union contributed $2.3 million to the Governor's last race and another $251,000 only weeks after
Davis gave the guards a $1 billion pay hike.
The Delano prison will cost taxpayers $124 million from the general fund per year to operate and
repay the debt. Major newspapers across the state, including the Los Angles Times, San Francisco
Chronicle and Orange County Register editorialized against construction of the prison.
The prison has met with fierce opposition from a statewide coalition of over 80 organizations and
residents of Delano.
"California is clearly out of step. States across the country are closing prisons, canceling
construction and revamping sentencing to save money. In California, we spend $595 million for a
new prison we don't need," said Dorsey Nunn of Legal Services for Prisoners with Children.
A statewide poll of likely voters released last week found that Californians strongly favor a freeze
on state prison construction and cuts to state prisons, over any other state program, to address the
budget crisis.
The poll of 600 likely voters also found that 76% of those surveyed supported requiring voter
approval of new prison construction. The legislature did not seek voter approval before authorizing
the contentious Delano prison. In 1990 and again in 1996 voters turned down proposed prison
bonds 2-1. The poll was conducted by Fairbanks, Maslin.
Groundbreaking for the prison was set for February 2001, but has been delayed by the mounting
opposition. "We have been fighting this prison since 1999. We aren't going away," said Braz.
--30--
LEGISLATORS IGNORE PUBLIC OPINION; MOVE TO FUND $595
MILLION DELANO PRISON
VOTE COMES DESPITE $23 BILLION SHORTFALL, DECLINING PRISON
POPULATION & POLL SUPPORTING FREEZE ON PRISON CONSTRUCTION FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 14, 2002
CONTACT: Rose Braz
(510)444-0484 Office (510)289-5258 Cell
SACRAMENTO, CA - Despite a $23 billion deficit, a declining prison population and a statewide
poll finding that Californians strongly favor a freeze on state prison building, the joint budget
conference committee late last night voted to fund the controversial $595 million Delano prison
plan.
"It's telling that in the midst of the worst budget crisis in a decade, the prison guards get a 34%
raise, a $595 million new prison and the Corrections' budget is going up, not down," commented
Rose Braz, Director of Critical Resistance, part of the statewide coalition fighting the prison plan.
"You really do get a lot of bang for your buck in Sacramento when you're the number one
contributor to state legislative races," continued Braz, noting that the state's powerful prison guards'
union contributed $2.3 million to the Governor's last race and another $251,000 only weeks after
Davis gave the guards a $1 billion pay hike.
The Delano prison will cost taxpayers $124 million from the general fund per year to operate and
repay the debt. Major newspapers across the state, including the Los Angles Times, San Francisco
Chronicle and Orange County Register editorialized against construction of the prison.
The prison has met with fierce opposition from a statewide coalition of over 80 organizations and
residents of Delano.
"California is clearly out of step. States across the country are closing prisons, canceling
construction and revamping sentencing to save money. In California, we spend $595 million for a
new prison we don't need," said Dorsey Nunn of Legal Services for Prisoners with Children.
A statewide poll of likely voters released last week found that Californians strongly favor a freeze
on state prison construction and cuts to state prisons, over any other state program, to address the
budget crisis.
The poll of 600 likely voters also found that 76% of those surveyed supported requiring voter
approval of new prison construction. The legislature did not seek voter approval before authorizing
the contentious Delano prison. In 1990 and again in 1996 voters turned down proposed prison
bonds 2-1. The poll was conducted by Fairbanks, Maslin.
Groundbreaking for the prison was set for February 2001, but has been delayed by the mounting
opposition. "We have been fighting this prison since 1999. We aren't going away," said Braz.
--30--
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Prisons are for punishment; we need rehabilitation. We live in a society where labor is weak and thus there is no rehabilitation. We must do everythng we can to stop the Delano prison and close down the whole murderous prison sytem (and abolish the death penalty), promoting rehabilitation instead.
The lives we save will be our own, and I do not care how law-abiding you are. My grandfather (age 60 and crippled by a stroke) was arrested for the "crime" of being Jewish during Kristallnacht in 1938 and held in prison until he left Germany and my great grandmother was arrested and murdered at Auschwitz for the same "crime." They were upper middle class German Jews who never committed any crime of any kind whatsoever.
The same was true of the millions of communists, socialists, trade unionists, gay people and everyone else who had a decent thought in their heads. The time to fight is now.
In addition to calling all your legislators, signing petitions, and giving money to these anti-prison causes, you can join our Labor Contingent on Gay Pride Day., June 30, 2002 at or before 10:30 a.m. in San Francisco. We welcome everyone, regardless of sexual orientation, who supports labor and gay rights. We oppose the prison-industrial complex and the death penalty and urge all like-minded people to join us with their banners and leaflets. If you cannot find us in the lineup at the foot of Market, wait at the tent at 77 Beale Street and as we pass by, you can jump into the parade with us.
The Gay Pride Parade must be a loud, clear demonstration for gay rights, peace and the Bill of Rights, all of which are threatened by the Republican-Democrats' joint drive toward fascism. The Democrat-Republicans all support prisons at home and blood for oil wars abroad.
I hope to see every anti-fascist in the San Francisco Bay Area at the Gay Pride Parade on June 30 in San Francisco, and you are all welcome to join the Labor Contingent.