Proposition 36 is supported by 70% of the public in the five major Bay Area counties and criticizes Democratic progressive officials for indulging criminals_1

A recent survey indicates strong backing for Proposition 36, which aims to tackle retail theft and drug abuse, with over 70% of residents from the five major Bay Area counties expressing support. Many residents have voiced their dissatisfaction with progressive Democratic officials, whom they feel have been overly lenient towards criminal behavior.

According to a report by the San Jose Mercury News, a poll carried out by the Bay Area News Group in collaboration with the nonprofit think tank Joint Venture Silicon Valley revealed that 70% of respondents are in favor of Proposition 36, while 20% oppose it, and 10% remain undecided.

The survey engaged over 1,650 registered voters from Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties. Among those interviewed was 66-year-old retiree Mark Leyva, a self-identified Democrat, who remarked, “The rampant theft, especially organized retail theft happening rapidly and in coordination, has reached an outrageous level.”

Leyva noted that even fellow Democrats are increasingly frustrated with seeing “20 young people rush into a store and steal retail goods without facing any consequences, leaving taxpayers to foot the bill for the investigations.” Advocates of the proposition aim to combat repeated theft by removing the $950 threshold for felony theft and increasing penalties for drug trafficking linked to the fentanyl and opioid crisis. The measure also proposes improvements to drug court programs, allowing individuals arrested for possession to choose between supervised rehabilitation or facing up to three years in prison.

Larry Sekuler, a 72-year-old resident of Mountain View who identifies as independent, emphasized the need for a shift in perspective regarding crime. “California is a state built on freedom, yet even those who champion liberty do not want their property stolen,” he stated. “Labeling certain offenses as nonviolent does not mean they are victimless. We need to empower the police to enforce the law.”

Russell Hancock, CEO of Joint Venture Silicon Valley, commented that the survey results reflect a consensus among residents that “California should not be a place that goes easy on criminals.”