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February 13, 2003 |
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Statewide Groups, Dozens
of Health Care Professionals Oppose 'Realigning'
Prop. 36
Joint Letter to Gov. Davis,
Senate Pres. Burton, Speaker Wesson Argues Against
Budget Plan that Would Harm Initiative
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Contact: Roberta Green, Campaign
for New Drug Policies
310 394-2952, or Tony Newman, Drug Policy Alliance:
(510) 208-7711 |
SACRAMENTO, Feb. 13 - In a show of
force today, more than 175 individuals and organizations
concerned with Prop. 36 implementation joined in a
letter to the governor and legislative leaders to
argue against changing the ballot measure's guaranteed
funding and oversight provisions.
"Prop. 36 simply doesn't work
under the [Davis administration's] realignment proposal,"
the letter reads. "In all likelihood, treatment
quality will suffer, local government will be saddled
with higher costs, and an inability to collect data
will make it impossible for anyone to judge whether
Prop. 36 is working or not."
Organizations signing on to the letter
include the California Nurses Association, California
Society of Addiction Medicine, and California Public
Defenders Association. Over 150 other individuals
working in treatment programs and other social services
agencies also added their voices by signing on.
In recent days, sponsors of the ballot
measure have called the realignment plan "unlawful"
and threatened to sue to block any proposal in court.
The Davis administration indicated Tuesday that it
is nonetheless proceeding with the plan, hoping to
work out details in the coming weeks.
Whitney Taylor, director of Prop.
36 implementation for the Drug Policy Alliance, said,
"Since the first day realignment was proposed,
we have heard nothing but dire concern from the people
on the front lines of Prop. 36 implementation. They
fear that realignment will amount to turning back
the clock to a time when drug treatment got shortchanged
and the addicted were simply shipped off to prison
instead."
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Read the letter
and list of signers
See more press releases
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