The Real Cost of Prisons Weblog

CURB COMMISSION MEETS IN LOS ANGELES

Over 100 concerned voters turned out on a rainy Tuesday in Watts
to attend a hearing of the Californians United for a Responsible
Budget Commission. The meeting was co-sponsored by the LA-based
No New Jails Coalition.

CURB commissioners Susan Burton, Ruth Wilson Gilmore and John Lum
heard testimony from a variety of Los Angeles residents opposed to
Measure A, a ballot initiative that would raise sales taxes to pay
for more police, more jails and more prosecutors and public defenders.

Many at the hearing called for prioritizing programs other than
police and jails, such as housing, mental health services, drug
treatment, re-entry programs and education.

Dr. Kimberly King (California Faculty Association) described how
fee increases at Cal State Universities have devastated the college
opportunities of tens of thousands of low-income youth.

Andy Griggs (United Teachers of Los Angeles Human Rights Committee)
testified that at his school, students see far more military
recruiters than college counselors.

Formerly incarcerated women Lorraine Dillard (Community Coalition),
Amanda Perez (Adelante) and Linda Wong (A New Way of Life) told of
the enormous challenges facing women and men returning from prison
and of the underfunded community programs that provide lifelines to
those coming home.

Bilal Ali (Los Angeles Community Action Network) talked about the
police sweeps among the homeless downtown, motivated he argued, not
by concerns for the homeless or public safety but as preparation for
gentrification.

Others who testified included:

Melissa Burch (No New Jails Coalition)
Gerard Panahon (Associated Students Incorporated of Cal State L.A)
Noe Orgaz & Cassandra Gonzalez (Youth Justice Coalition)
Tim Watkins (Watts Labor Community Action Center)
Alejandro Corruvibas (La Causa Youth Build)
Geri Silva (Families to Amend California's Three Strikes)
Khalid Al Alim (Coalition for Educational Justice)
Roy San Filippo (Critical Resistance)

All who attended were given $500 million of play money and asked to
divide it among 13 broad categories. Education was the clear winner
and many 'dollars' were also spent on Youth Programs, Health and
Housing.