Alert From: Ella Baker Center for Human Rights

Two weeks ago, we asked you to take action against the Runner Initiative, a potential ballot measure by Sen. George Runner that would divert billions from California's schools, health care, and other public services to fund outdated, ineffective policing and prison policies. One of the biggest early funders of the initiative, the California Association of Healthcare Underwriters (CAHU), received thousands of emails from Ella Baker Center supporters asking them to reconsider. Our efforts worked: at their annual board meeting next Monday, May 19, they will vote on whether or not to withdraw their support of this misguided initiative!

Books Not Bars and other members of the Coalition to Defeat George Runner's Initiative have organized a Virtual Picket Line to encourage CAHU to do what's right by publicly withdrawing their support of the initiative. Send your message to the CAHU board and urge them to join us in opposing the Runner Initiative!

The proposed measure, brought forth by California State Republican Senator George Runner (R-17), would pour billions into the already bloated prison system, money that is currently being spent on schools, health care and other public services. The non-partisan Legislative Analyst's Office estimates the measure will cost $1 BILLION the first year and at least $500 million every year after that, plus an unfunded mandate on city and county governments which will be forced to pay for increased enforcement and additional jails -- all to pursue policies that have failed in the past and have led to California's current budget crisis.

Many respected leaders and organizations have publicly opposed the measure, including California Senate Majority Leader Gloria Romero, Southern California ACLU, Assemblymembers Joe Coto and Sandre Swanson, the cities of San Francisco and Berkeley, and many more -- our movement grows larger every day. In her statement against the initiative, Congresswoman Barbara Lee said, "While we all want our communities to be free of crime and safer for our families, the Runner Initiative doesn't address the core problems or create real solutions. In light of the current California budget crisis, we cannot afford to irresponsibly spend even more California tax dollars on a failed policy of only funding prisons and criminalizing youth; we must make investments that prevent crime, in our communities where the impact is the greatest."

We have a chance to pull the plug on the Runner Initiative -- ask the California Association of Health Underwriters to withdraw their funding. Click here to join our Virtual Picket Line:
http://www.ellabakercenter.org/?p=runner_cahu

Instead of working for genuine solutions to crime and violence, the Runner Initiative singles out our most vulnerable communities for increased scrutiny and punishment. For example, it:
Targets youth for adult incarceration, deeming any youth 14 years or older who is convicted of an alleged "gang-related" felony as unfit for trial in a juvenile court or housing in a youth prison;
Targets poor people, forcing recipients of public housing subsidies to submit to annual criminal background checks with the intention of withdrawing the housing subsidies of people with recent criminal convictions;
Targets undocumented immigrants by denying bail to those charged with violent or gang-related crimes and requiring local sheriffs to inform Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of the arrest and charges of people who are undocumented.
Between now and November, we'll campaign tirelessly against the Runner Initiative, shifting the debate to focus on positive solutions to crime and violence, such as schools and opportunities for young people. It'll be a long fight, but with your help, I'm sure we will win.

Thank you for all that you do.

Forward ever,

Jakada Imani
Executive Director, Ella Baker Center for Human Rights