Prop. 36 funding fight pits Newsom against San Jose Mayor Mahan

"Late last week, however, Newsom announced $127 million to support addiction and mental health programs, including those aimed at treating drug users charged under Prop. 36. But some local officials argue that money to be distributed to local governments through an existing state grant program was already going toward treatment services and will have only a limited impact on helping more homeless drug offenders into care."

"Early results show Prop. 36 has gotten off to a slow start placing users in programs, in part due to a lack of beds and resources. This is existing money, already allocated to existing services, Graham Knaus, CEO of the California State Association of Counties, said in a statement. Simply saying it can also be spent to implement Prop 36 doesn't magically give counties more money to pay for new, voter-approved mandates on top of existing services."

"Newsom, who opposed Proposition 36, was initially reluctant to set aside any new state funds for the law, suggesting cities and counties should come up with the money themselves. But in June, he agreed to earmark $100 million to help cover the costs of locking up more offenders and sending them to treatment programs. Still, measure backers, including San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, have accused the governor and Democrats in the state Legislature of flouting the will of the voters by not earmarking the hundreds of millions of dollars they say are needed to phase in the law."

California voters approved Proposition 36 to crack down on retail theft and compel homeless drug users into treatment. Gov. Gavin Newsom initially opposed the measure and resisted setting aside new state funds, urging cities and counties to cover implementation costs. In June, the state earmarked $100 million for incarceration and treatment costs and later announced $127 million for addiction and mental health programs, with funds to flow through an existing grant program. Local leaders, including San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan and county officials, say much more funding is needed because early implementation is hampered by limited treatment beds and resources. State officials note multibillion-dollar commitments to behavioral health funding and Proposition 1.

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