League of Women Voters Opposes Prop. 1
Group Cites Mental Health Cuts, Reduced Flexibility for Counties
SACRAMENTO, Jan. 9, 2024 – The prestigious, nonpartisan League of Women Voters has announced its opposition to Proposition 1 on the March 5, 2024, ballot.
The League said that while the measure promises to address a "critical need," its potential benefits "do not outweigh its flaws."
Program cuts are one great concern cited in the group's statement:
"[Prop. 1] reduces the funds available for other mental health services that counties currently offer to patients, like treatment, crisis response, and outreach."
The ways that Prop. 1 reduces flexibility for counties is also noted:
"It has the overall effect of reducing counties’ ability to set priorities based on local needs for mental health services."
Finally, the League cited concerns about the rush to pass the bond portion of the measure, which led to late amendments opening the door to institution-style treatment of people with mental illness:
"The bond portion of the measure was rushed through the legislature with last-minute amendments that opened the door to funding involuntary treatment in locked facilities. The rushed nature of these amendments precluded substantive debate and ignored arguments from diverse community-based organizations and health care and civil rights advocates. These groups contend that community-based care is more effective than institutionalization and that incentivizing institutionalization will both lead to worse health outcomes and curtail individual liberties."
The full opposition statement to Prop. 1 by the League is available at their website here.