Fresno leaders and family members rally for Prop 36 to combat drug trafficking and repeat thefts

Fresno small businesses, elected officials, law enforcement, business associations, community leaders and families of fentanyl victims gathered Thursday morning to urge voters to support Proposition 36.

Prop 36 imposes harsher penalties on repeat offenders and drug traffickers who deal in hard drugs like fentanyl.

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Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp was joined by Fresno County Sheriff John Zanoni and League of California Cities President Fowler Mayor Daniel Parra at the press conference at the Fresno Chamber of Commerce.

Proposition 36, the November ballot measure, aims to hold repeat perpetrators of thefts and drug dealers accountable – and is intended to improve safety in Fresno communities and across the state.

In every public poll — including Berkeley ISG, PPIC and USC, CSU Long Beach and Cal Poly Pomona — Californians of all political parties and regions overwhelmingly support Prop 36.

The initiative creates incentives for individuals to participate in and complete drug treatment programs, thereby acting as a deterrent to repeat offenders.

Currently, those who have been arrested multiple times for hard drug use have little or no incentive to choose treatment over incarceration.

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Other community members in attendance included Scott Miller, president and CEO of the Fresno Chamber of Commerce; Clint Olivier, president and CEO of the Central Valley Business Federation; Pamela Smith, founder of the Mothers in Grief Support Group; and Carlos Mendoza-Mesa, owner of Bird Dog Comics.