I have a Proposition for you, edition 34...

Proposition 34 is one that we've seen before.  The writers want to end the death penalty in California.  It applies retroactively to those people sentenced to death who are currently waiting imposition of sentence on the famed "death row".  It requires persons convicted of murder to forfeit funds they earn while in prison to be applied to victim restitution funds or restitution orders against them specifically.  All who would have been or were sentenced to death would instead be sentenced to Life Without Parole, commonly referred to as L-WOP by those in law enforcement.

I believe in the death penalty.  As proper retribution and as a deterrent.

But I also believe that you can't make a mistake with a death penalty sentence.  Our system of justice is imperfect.  There are probably between 1 and 5 people in prison out of every 100, or 1,000 who were wrongfully convicted of their offense.  With the death penalty being such a final thing, the old adage better 100 guilty men go free than 1 innocent man be wrongfully executed is a good argument in favor of this proposition.

However, I have a better one.  Plain old fiscal reality.  There's a study that shows the State of California spent $4 billion to execute the 13 men convicted of the death penalty since it was brought back.  We spend just under $200 million annually more to continue the death penalty process than we would on just giving these men and women sentences of L-WOP.  That's a billion dollars every five years.  In this time of budget austerity, where we can't afford to implement programs we'd like to implment, that's wasted money.

I'm voting YES on Prop 34.  You should educate yourself on the various issues involved and make your own choice.  But please, get out and vote.