LA Coalition Wins Improved Tracking and Transparency of Prop. 47 Savings; Continues Efforts to Direct 100% of Savings Towards Prevention
For Immediate Release
April 12, 2016
Contact: Sybil Grant
Sybil@behr-communications.com
213-761-2968
LA Coalition Wins Improved Tracking and Transparency of Prop. 47 Savings;
Continues Efforts to Direct 100% of Savings Towards Prevention
The following is a statement from the LA Coalition for Safety and Justice regarding today’s LA County Board of Supervisors action to strengthen tracking and accountability of Prop. 47 savings:
“Today’s Board action is a major step forward in fulfilling the will of voters, who overwhelmingly supported Prop. 47. LA County residents won improved transparency and tracking of Prop. 47 dollars. This action will improve the safety and health of our neighborhoods by increasing funding for community based programs that support prevention. We are encouraged that the Board of Supervisors responded to the repeated demands of the community to adequately account for the savings of the proposition.
In December, the coalition urged the Board of Supervisors to conduct an audit of Prop. 47 savings across LA County departments. That audit, released last week, revealed big holes in tracking, transparency, and accountability of those dollars.
Without this tracking, public safety budgetary decisions would have been made in the dark. This new tracking system will help bring those savings to light, so they can be put where they will make the biggest impact and where voters intended: in the community.
Investing 50% of Prop. 47 savings in community prevention is big step forward and moves savings upstream, into prevention. But we are only halfway there. 100% of the savings should be invested into community based programs that reduce recidivism, increase neighborhood safety, and get residents the appropriate care they need, such as substance abuse treatment and youth development.
But there’s a lot of need in LA County, so to make sure these investments have the greatest impact, we urge the Supervisors and CEO to listen to residents and use equity as the guide when determining how and where the money gets spent. Impacted communities must be a part of creating that process.
Surveys show residents overwhelmingly support shifting resources toward prevention and away from incarceration. We look forward to sharing those priorities with local leaders so they understand how strongly their constituents feel.”
LA Coalition for Safety and Justice is a coalition of organizations working to improve neighborhood safety and health in LA County through investments in prevention and community based programs.
Coalition members: Advancement Project, Californians for Safety and Justice, Centro Cha, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA), Community Coalition, Communities in Schools of Greater Los Angeles, Homeboy Industries, Liberty Hill Foundation, LA CAN, LA Voice, Los Angeles Metropolitan Churches, A New Way of Life, One LA, SCOPE