Dear Community Members,
California's special election is next Tuesday, May 19, and many are still trying to determine how to make tough decisions during a sobering time in our state. It is clear that no matter how people vote, there will be serious cuts that will affect all of us.
Based on our agency's responsibility to our clients and community, especially the most vulnerable among us, JFCS/East Bay's Public Policy Committee has considered the ballot propositions and is recommending that people vote No on Propositions 1D and 1E.
Proposition 1D would divert tobacco tax revenues away from highly effective programs benefiting children from birth to age 5. These programs support children's physical and mental health care, strengthen families, and engage in the kind of early intervention that dramatically reduces costly and heartbreaking problems in later years.
Proposition 1E would divert "millionaire tax" revenues away from the framework of the Mental Health Services Act, which fills glaring gaps in the mental health system and also places a strong emphasis on prevention and early intervention. For both measures, we are concerned not only about the effects of short-term cuts, but of the long-term implications of diverting these funds from their intended purposes.
At this point in the campaign, we are all getting deluged by information and misinformation about the ballot measures. We encourage you to seek out reliable sources and to make carefully considered decisions that will best preserve our state's capacity to help those who need it most.
Shalom,
Avi Rose
Executive Director
