Fresno county sheriff ‘disappointed’ with lack of funding for Prop 36

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) — Fresno County officials are concerned after Governor Gavin Newsom’s May Revise did not include state funding for the implementation of Proposition 36.

The fight for funding on Proposition 36 continues.

Proposition 36 revokes major parts of Proposition 47, which was passed by California voters back in 2014.

Under Prop 47, theft under $950 could only be prosecuted as a misdemeanor.

Prop 36 increases penalties for certain drug and retail theft crimes, making them felonies.

It also provides for much tougher penalties for drug convictions.

Governor Gavin Newsom says it will cost taxpayers too much and could lead to mass incarceration.

Fresno County Sheriff John Zanoni is not happy about Newsom’s pushback.

“I’m very disappointed that the governor is choosing to put money into other things and high-speed rail, but not funding something that is near and dear to the hearts of people here in California,” Zanoni said.

Zanoni said slashing state funding will impact both his department and the District Attorney’s Office and disregards the will of California voters.

“It puts a burden on our deputies, it puts a burden on the correctional staff, it makes us have to look at how we’re going to prioritize available beds within the jail. And obviously, the district attorney’s office,” Zanoni said.

He said he will continue to push for state funding.

“The voters spoke very clear and very loudly that they wanted this passed. So, they expect their elected officials, their leaders and their law enforcement leaders to do something about this. So we’re going to continue to fight the fight,” Zanoni said.

Fresno County District 5 Supervisor Nathan Magsig said that with no additional funding, the burden of implementing Prop 36 falls on the county.

“We’re having to tap into these buckets of funds to make up for funding reductions that are happening at the state,” Zanoni said, “It means here at the local level, we’re going to have to figure it out on our own.”

Magsig said slowing down rampant organized retail thieves and putting drug dealers behind bars will be challenging without state funding.

“Prop 36 was a commonsense measure that the voters said was necessary. And it’s disappointing to see that the state of California is not funding Prop 36 so we can fully implement it,” Magsig said.