Globe Interview: Senator Tony Strickland on Funding Prop. 36 in May Revise

What is required legally when a proposition/ballot initiative is passed by voters requiring funding for implementation?

What can be done legally if Governor Gavin Newsom refuses to fund Proposition 36, the anti-crime initiative passed last November by nearly 70% in all 58 counties?

These are important legal questions as the California voters who passed Proposition 36 also rightfully expected it to be implemented. The Globe has consulted with legal experts for this answer and will report back.

Thus far, Gov. Newsom budgeted nothing for Prop. 36 in his January budget.

State Senator Tony Strickland (R-Huntington Beach) is urging Governor Newsom to respect the will of the voters and include $400 million in the May Budget Revise to implement Proposition 36 and fund mental health and drug treatment programs.

California voters overwhelmingly adopted Proposition 36 in the November 2024 election, titled the “Homelessness, Drug Addiction, and Theft Reduction Act,” to restore consequences for thieves and drug dealers and require treatment for addicts, Michael Rushford, President of the Criminal Justice Legal Foundation reported in the Globe in April. “Its adoption was a complete rebuke of Proposition 47, the so-called Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act adopted in 2014, with major funding from the ACLU and socialist billionaire George Soros. That measure decriminalized theft and drug crimes. It’s important to note that Proposition 47 was supported by then Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom and the Democrat super majority in the state legislature. Ten years later, these same politicians opposed Proposition 36, although millions of democrats voted for it.”

“Governor Newsom touts himself as the defender of democracy and this week, he can put his rhetoric into action,” said Senator Strickland. “This is a golden opportunity for the governor to fund at least $400 million to implement the anti-crime initiative, which I believe will accomplish a goal of the governor’s mental health overhaul program. Make no mistake, the dollar amount for Prop. 36 is just a starting point as I believe additional funding will be necessary in order for those programs to be successful.”

“I’ve worked with five governors and I’ve never seen a governor more disinterested in working with the Legislature on policies before,” Sen. Strickland told the Globe in an interview Tuesday.

“He’s not engaged with Democrats either,” Sen. Strickland said. “He won’t engage on policy because he’s running for President.”

“Look at his rhetoric versus his record… his rhetoric is pretty good, but he never follows through.”

“One example is his podcast – he agrees that males shouldn’t play in women’s sports, but did nothing about it, even with a bill in committee,” Strickland added.

“For years, Gov. Gavin Newsom has pushed an image of himself as a defender of democracy and touted how much he respects the will of the people.”

“But he tried to keep Prop. 36 off the ballot,” Sen. Strickland reminds us. “70 percent of the people voted for it, and he’s not even spent a penny on it.”

“Newsom ‘misplaced’ $27 billion and made homelessness in the state worse! And at his press conference yesterday he blamed the cities and counties.” (as the Globe reported today in Gavin Newsom Gaslighting California Again with Homeless Encampment Plan).

Adding to his frustration, Sen. Strickland introduced an amendment to add Prop. 36 funding to the state budget, but Senate Democrats rejected it.

Senator Strickland vowed to hammer Newsom daily over Prop. 36 funding, and said he would go after all of the bills as well. “I’m a bulldog – I will not let it go,” he added.

… “Beyond just respecting the will of the people and making crime illegal again, there are numerous real benefits we can see by funding the anti-crime initiative reforms. We can make a real impact at making communities safer. Now is the time to stop the rhetoric and take action,” said Sen. Strickland.

“The people thought Prop. 36 would be funded… we have to hold these folks accountable.”

Read Senator Strickland’s Op-ed on Prop. 36 HERE titled “Will Newsom finally listen to California’s clear call for public safety?”