San Diego supervisors direct fiscal analysis of Proposition 36 after heated public hearing

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted to direct the county chief administrative officer (CAO) to analyze the fiscal and programmatic impacts of a possible passage of Proposition 36 and to return to the board with a multi‑scenario analysis for consideration before taking a formal position.

The action came after more than an hour of public comment and presentations from proponents and opponents. District Attorney Summer Steffen told the board Proposition 36, titled the Homeless Drug Addiction and Theft Reduction Act, would create new tools to address organized retail theft and the fentanyl crisis and offers courts alternatives such as mandated treatment; she described the measure as “balanced” and said roughly 900,000 Californians had signed petitions to qualify the measure for the ballot. Opponents — including criminal‑justice reform advocates, community groups and people with…