SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sacramento City Councilmembers passed a ballot measure that would let voters decide on a new youth funding measure after similar proposals failed in 2016 and 2020.
The proposal is called the Sacramento Children Health and Safety Act.
It aims to use money from the General Fund "equivalent" of 40% of the cannabis business tax revenues to create long-term sustainable funding for youth development and violence prevention programs.
Youth services across the city like afterschool programs, crime prevention and substance abuse treatment would stand to gain $10 million per year if Sacramento voters pass the proposal, according to a city council report.
District 5 Councilmember Jay Schenirer said there is a link between youth needs and the negative impacts of cannabis use among young people. He said the city has been rewarded in its investments in the cannabis industry, but when it comes to using those funds for youth programming, there's opposition.
The key word is "equivalent." The two sources run parallel but don't actually intersect.
"We all know that it’s been a very difficult time these last two years. We have learning loss, we have a tremendous amount of violence in our communities, and... we know what works with young people," Schenirer said.
Schenirer said the proposal won't result in any tax increase, only increased revenue for the youth and child services in Sacramento.
City staff said an oversight committee would give recommendations on how to spend the money, things like mental health counseling and after-school activities. After passing city council, the measure will appear on the ballot for Sacramento voters to consider.
What's in the proposed ballot measure?
If the ballot measure passes, city officials can pull money from the General Fund equivalent to 40% of the city's cannabis tax revenue for use toward youth-centered programs and services in Sacramento, including:
- Mental health counseling and wellness services
- Substance abuse prevention services
- Street outreach and violence intervention
- Youth workforce development including career pathways to jobs that advance the City’s climate action goals (“green jobs”)
- Summer and after-school programs
- Early childhood education and family support services
Only nonprofit organizations and public agencies would be eligible to receive funding. Public agencies are required to demonstrate they can match, dollar-for-dollar cash, the equivalent of the total funds received.
A nine-member Sacramento Children’s Fund Planning and Oversight Commission will be created to work with the Sacramento Youth Commission on a five-year investment plan.
"You know, we have we have a city council that has been much more youth friendly over the last few years," Schenirer told ABC10. "This is really ultra (crime) prevention to make sure we have a good, safe community."
Other details include:
- City councilmember must approve of the investment plan
- The mayor and city councilmembers will appoint people to the commission
- The first Five-Year Strategic Investment Plan covers between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2029;
The ballot measure will land in front of Sacramento voters during the election on November 8, 2022.
