Cal Budget: Shut Down Prisons

California has a $21 billion deficit and the good Democrat, Gov Gray Davis, wants to make the workingclass pay with budget cuts and hire fees. We need the loudest fightback possible against these attacks on the workingclass and to demand that most of the 33 prisons in California be closed, transferring the prison budget to the grossly underfunded education budget. Top priority must also be given to abolishing the death penalty.

The number of prisons increased from 13 in 1985 to 33 today. The operating budget of the prison system increased from $923 million in fiscal year 1985 to $4.8 billion today. Most of the prisoners are victims of the viciously anti-workingclass and racist phony drug wars. Meanwhile, our school system is one of the worst in the nation and faces more cutbacks. There is no future in any society without a strong education system.

In addition to increasing the progressive income tax on the rich, those who make over $200,000 per year, we must demand most of the prisons be closed so that
(1) Only the most violent prisoners remain in prison; and
(2) Those violent prisoners must be rehabilitated as soon as possible with education, medical care and job training for decent paying jobs so that they become productive members of society as soon as possible.

The death penalty must be abolished. In addition,
imprisoning people over age 60, disabled people and sick people is criminally insane and must end now. Prison sentence laws must be changed so that none is more than 5 years for any offence. Mandatory minimums must be abolished, and trying juveniles as adults must end.

We must demand that the State of California return to its primary task: Funding the public school system so that it is once again, as it was before 1978, the best school system in the US.

CALL, WRITE AND/OR E-MAIL ANY AND ALL CALIFORNIA LEGISLATORS NOW.
You can reach all the California Senators at:
http://www.sen.ca.gov/~newsen/senators/senators.htp

You can reach al lthe California Assemblypeople at:
http://www.assembly.ca.gov/acs/acsframeset7text.htm

San Francisco's representatives are:
Leland Yee, 12th AD:
http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a12/
State Capitol
Room 2188
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 319-2012
Fax: (916) 319-2112
Email: Assemblymember.Yee [at] assembly.ca.gov

Mark Leno, 13th AD:
http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a13/
State Capitol
Room 3146
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 319-2013
Fax: (916) 319-2113
Email: Assemblymember.Leno [at] assembly.ca.gov

Senator John Burton
http://democrats.sen.ca.gov/senator/burton/
455 Golden Gate Ave.
Suite 14800
San Francisco, CA 94102
Phone: (415) 557-1300

3501 Civic Center
Room 425
San Rafael, CA 94903
Phone: (415) 479-6612

State Capitol Room 205
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 445-1412

Senator Jackie Speier
http://democrats.sen.ca.gov/senator/speier/
San Mateo Office
400 South El Camino Real,
Suite 630
San Mateo, CA 94402
ph 650-340-8840
fax 650-340-1661

San Francisco Office
455 Golden Gate Avenue,
Suite 14200
San Francisco, CA 94102
ph 415-557-7857
fax 415-557-7864

State Capitol, Room 2032
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 445-0503
Fax (916) 327-2186
senator.speier [at] sen.ca.gov