They say everything in moderation and that too much of one thing causes an imbalance in anything. Day needs night. Sun needs rain. And, influence needs accountability.
After years of consideration, I now identify as non-partisan. I care about local government, issues affecting my community, maintaining a positive quality of life and finding solutions to local problems. Whoever is willing to roll up their sleeves and do the work to make people’s lives better is good in my book.
Recent negotiations at the state Capitol on key crime issues are showing cracks in the imbalance in our current political structure. After years of negotiations, legislative attempts and work being done at a local level on crime-related issues, voters have now decided to give themselves an opportunity to assess the last ten years of criminal justice reform through the proposition process. The Homelessness, Drug Addiction, and Theft Reduction Act was just overwhelmingly qualified this past week, with hundreds of thousands of signatures to spare.
For anyone who has lived in California this past decade or more, the policies in this proposition seem like a no-brainer. Retail theft is rampant, fentanyl deaths are on the rise, and drug addiction and homelessness are a scar on our once beautiful state. People no longer feel safe, and in turn people struggling are not being given the tools they need to turn their life around. Current policies are not working for anyone, regardless of political affiliation or walk of life.
That is what the proposition is meant to address. The legislature has had residents, experts, victims and people struggling with addiction come to them this past decade with meaningful reforms to help solve these issues affecting our communities – only to fall on deaf ears. Bi-partisan bills have been held in committee without explanation, watered down to the point of ineffectiveness, or have been tainted with poison pill language. Voters have had enough.
The proposition has qualified for the ballot. It is a bi-partisan effort, supported by San Francisco Mayor London Breed and more. It is not uncommon to make bold policy changes to systems and then have to fix loopholes or unintended consequences years later.
What is uncommon, is the current power play by our state’s leadership to derail efforts to allow residents to make meaningful changes and help solve the undeniable problems that have presented in our state the past decade.
They say absolute power, corrupts absolutely. Without balance, our systems fail. Our state leadership has had virtually uninterrupted power for over four decades and so we ask them – to just solve problems. The only thing we can do as residents is pay attention and hold positions of influence accountable. Ask your local officials where they stand on these issues and how they will solve the very real problems affecting our state. Our residents deserve nothing less.
Stephanie F. Herrera is a current Folsom resident and contributes commentary to Folsom Times.. She has over 15 years of service in local, state and federal public policy sectors.
