Riverside County, California, Sheriff Chad Bianco is spearheading an effort to overturn the 2012 ballot measure known as Prop 47, which he believes has led to a surge in homelessness and crime in the state. Prop 47 reclassified several felonies as misdemeanors, resulting in lower penalties for offenses such as theft and narcotics possession. Bianco is advocating for a new ballot measure that would reverse these changes and crack down on serial theft by allowing judges to recommend rehab for substance abuse and prosecutors to combine values of multiple thefts to meet the $950 threshold set by Prop 47.
Bianco argues that voters were misled about the impact of Prop 47 and that it has directly contributed to the increase in homelessness, mental health issues, drug addiction, and crime in California. He believes that without consequences for criminal behavior, there is no incentive for individuals to change their behavior. While Bianco is advocating for a common-sense approach that combines rehabilitation with enforcement, he accuses Governor Gavin Newsom and other state leaders of failing to address the consequences of Prop 47 and protect Californians.
Despite opposition from Newsom, Bianco remains determined to push for changes to Prop 47 through a new ballot measure. He believes that politicians in Sacramento are not taking the necessary steps to address the issues with Prop 47 and are instead proposing hollow legislative changes that are unlikely to be enforced. Bianco emphasizes that the only way to fix the problems created by Prop 47 is by putting it back to the voters and allowing them to decide on meaningful reforms.
While Newsom argues that there is no need to send Prop 47 back to the voters, Bianco insists that the majority of Californians support changes to the measure. He believes that the current crime situation in the state will only worsen if action is not taken to address the issues with Prop 47. Bianco is optimistic that the new ballot measure will be successful, but warns that without meaningful reforms, crime, drug addiction, and homelessness will continue to plague California.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed is among the Democrats who support altering Prop 47 and believe it would have a positive impact on the state. Polling data has indicated that the majority of Californians are in favor of changes to Prop 47. Bianco stresses that voters are fed up with the current situation in California and are eager to see meaningful reforms to address the growing crime and drug addiction problems. Organizers are currently gathering signatures for the new ballot measure, and Bianco remains hopeful that it will be successful in addressing the issues created by Prop 47 and improving public safety in California.
