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California Senate President Holds Strong on Alternative to Incarceration
Wednesday, August 8, 2007 : Wednesday, August 8, 2007A handful of California politicians are trying to undermine the state's successful treatment-instead-of-incarceration initiative, Proposition 36, in a budget battle that could culminate in a vote at the end of this month. Republicans in the state Senate have introduced a proposal to end state funding for the program, despite the fact that Prop.
36 has saved taxpayers $1.8 billion and kept tens of thousands of Californians out of prison in just six years. State-contracted research shows the program saves $2.50 for every $1 invested in it.
Margaret Dooley, Prop. 36 Coordinator for the Drug Policy Alliance, said, “The proposal sadly illustrates that Senate Republicans’ distaste for drug treatment outweighs their interest in fiscally responsible policies. The more the state spends on Prop. 36, the more taxdollars we'll save and the more people we'll help become taxpayers instead of tax-spenders. De-funding this treatment alternative now would be the height of fiscal irresponsibility.”
The Senate Republicans' proposal to zero out funding follows a July vote by the state Assembly to reduce spending for Prop. 36 in 2007-08 to $120 million--a $25 million reduction from the previous year--while approving $500 million in tax cuts for large corporations.
Fortunately, Senate President pro Tem Don Perata is holding strong against the pressure to cut funding in exchange for corporate tax giftsRead More
Margaret Dooley, Prop. 36 Coordinator for the Drug Policy Alliance, said, “The proposal sadly illustrates that Senate Republicans’ distaste for drug treatment outweighs their interest in fiscally responsible policies. The more the state spends on Prop. 36, the more taxdollars we'll save and the more people we'll help become taxpayers instead of tax-spenders. De-funding this treatment alternative now would be the height of fiscal irresponsibility.”
The Senate Republicans' proposal to zero out funding follows a July vote by the state Assembly to reduce spending for Prop. 36 in 2007-08 to $120 million--a $25 million reduction from the previous year--while approving $500 million in tax cuts for large corporations.
Fortunately, Senate President pro Tem Don Perata is holding strong against the pressure to cut funding in exchange for corporate tax giftsRead More
For more information:
http://feeds.nooked.com/news/link/drugpoli...
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