January 22, 2010
TO: All Members of the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee
RE: Committee Budget Oversight Hearing on Tuesday, January 26, 2010
OPPOSE Governor’s Proposal to Divert Proposition 63 Funds
TAKING PROPOSITION 63 FUNDS MAKES NO SENSE
Just as he did a year ago, the Governor has proposed diverting voter approved Proposition 63 community mental health funds to balance the State Budget.
This makes no sense, not only because the voters overwhelmingly rejected this last year, but also because the Legislative Analyst and Department of Finance acknowledged to the voters when Proposition 63 was passed that:
“The expansion of county mental health services would probably result in savings on state prison and county jail operations, medical care, homeless shelters, and social services programs (that)…could amount to as much as hundreds of millions of dollars annually.”
So, not only is this a proposal that flies in the face of the voters’ expressions, both in passing the measure in 2004 and rejecting similar cuts in 2009, but it also won’t save money. It would wind up costing the State more in health, social services, and prison costs, and makes future Budget problems even worse.
Sincerely,
Rusty Selix
Co-Author with President pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg of Proposition 63 &
Executive Director
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