"Existing at the mercy of criminals was very disappointing, very disheartening and I guess we had to hit rock bottom before finally, people woke up and realized, it's time to take a different turn," said Arkady Itkin.
"They were really looking for relief from so many people allegedly committing, redefined, petty crimes and being able to get away with it," said former Mayor Willie Brown, summing up community sentiment on the measure.
"On a felony, you can get up to a year in the county jail or go to prison on a misdemeanor... misdemeanors aren't going to jail, or there's very minimal time... a weekend sometimes," explained San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe.
Opponents of Prop 36, including Governor Gavin Newsom, argue it would further crowd the jail system and disproportionately affect communities of color, suggesting a potential backlash against the measure.
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