Grover Beach council backs state Propositions 36 and 4 

Propositions 4, 5, and 36 will greet voters on the ballot come November, and the Grover Beach City Council voiced its support for two and recused themselves from picking a side on the other.

Already supported by other local city councils such as Pismo Beach, Arroyo Grande, and Atascadero, Grover Beach decided to endorse Proposition 36, which would increase penalties for repeat retail theft and repeal some of the leniency enacted by Proposition 47, a 2014 measure aimed at reducing the state's prison population.

Proposition 36 would redirect some drug possession offenders to treatment rather than incarceration, increase penalties for other drug-related crimes, and add fentanyl to the list of drugs to which felony charges can apply, according to a staff report.

SLO County District Attorney Dan Dow spoke in support of the proposition during public comment at Grover's Sept. 23 City Council meeting, claiming the measure would make some necessary "critical changes" so that judges and district attorneys can have discretion when it comes to repeat theft and repeat drug offenses.

"I want to draw your attention to the fact that for every dollar that is stolen from one of your businesses and not paid for is a reduction in your bottom line of sales tax revenue," he said. "So not only is it harming the bottom line of that business, but it's hurting our cities who are being deprived ... of the tax revenue for every dollar that should be spent by a consumer."

Councilmember Zach Zimmerman said Proposition 36 is tricky because while he understands the good that Dow is highlighting, he's nervous that the measure would put more people in jail, meaning "hundreds of millions" of dollars in prison costs could fall back on taxpayers.

"I think, of course, everyone wants to get fentanyl off the streets, and I think that the penalties for that should absolutely be increased," he said. "I think it's also at the same time really heartening to see local police enforcement and what's done and that there was actually an 18 percent decrease in property crime here in our city last year."

Proposition 36 will not open the floodgates to state prison, Dow said in response, but it would allow for an 18-month to three-year term at the county jail for third-time theft or drug offenses.

"What it's going to do is raise the stakes," he said. "Our sheriff, Ian Parkinson, understands that it will likely increase the population in his county jail, and he's prepared to deal with it."

While the council decided to put its support behind Proposition 36, it couldn't do the same for Proposition 5.

This measure would lower the voter approval threshold to 55 percent for bonds used to pay for affordable housing, permanent supportive housing, or public infrastructure, according to the staff report.

Andrea Seastrand urged the council to be cautious with Proposition 5 because it's similar to Proposition 13, a property tax limitation initiative that passed in 1978.

"In the state of California, you can pass anything on 55 percent, so I am cautious, and you should think about your constituents, property owners, seniors, renters, and commercial property owners," she said. "How are they going to be able to keep up with this?"

Councilmember Daniel Rushing said he doesn't feel comfortable coming out directly opposing or supporting Proposition 5 and asked if they can just do nothing on the measure.

Zimmerman agreed and told the council that it's "an individual voter's choice at the state level" before removing himself from the discussion of Proposition 4 due to a conflict of interest.

Proposition 4 would allow for the state to issue a $10 billion climate bond to fund local programs aimed at mitigating the impacts of climate change, according to the staff report.

Examples of community funding include stormwater capture and reuse, local water conservation programs, state and local fire prevention, sea level rise mitigation, and extreme heat mitigation. The council voted to support Proposition 4 as well. Δ