Downey City Council throws support behind Proposition 36

DOWNEY — The Downey City Council put its unanimous support behind Proposition 36 on Tuesday, a measure that would allow for increased penalties for certain drug and theft crimes.

Known as the Homelessness, Drug Addiction, and Theft Reduction Act, Prop. 36 proposes targeted reforms to address the unintended consequences of Proposition 47, which recategorized low-level, nonviolent crimes as misdemeanors after its passing in 2014.

Since then, the state has seen an increase in organized retail theft and drug crime.

Notably, Proposition 36 would reclassify repeated theft under $950 as a felony for individuals with two or more prior theft-related convictions, while also allowing cumulative value of stolen property to be used to file felony charges if the total exceeds $950.

Penalties would also be increased for those involved in organized theft or for causing significant property damage.

Drug crimes would be addressed as well, categorizing fentanyl alongside hard drugs like heroin and cocaine, introducing stricter penalties for its possession and trafficking. Judges would be given more discretion when sentencing traffickers, especially in cases involving serious injuries and death.

Proposition 36 further establishes new classification for offenders with multiple hard drug possession convictions, offering treatment options in lieu of incarceration, with the possibility of expungement after successful completion of the programs.

Downey joins 52 cities in the state that support the measure, including Lakewood, Arcadia, Whittier, Beverly Hills, Manhattan Beach, La Verne, Newport Beach, Santa Ana, Pico Rivera, Rosemead, Lawndale, and Norwalk, as well as the League of California Cities.