San Jose leaders back harsher penalties for drug dealers in retail theft crackdown reform

San Jose’s top political leader supports harsher penalties for drug dealers as voters consider new measures to hold thieves and drug suppliers accountable.

California voters passed the criminal justice proposition in 2014 and established a $950 threshold for determining whether a theft would be considered a misdemeanor or a felony. But opponents of Proposition 47 gathered enough signatures to give Californians an opportunity to vote for harsher punishments on theft and drug crimes under a new reform initiative dubbed the Homelessness, Drug Addiction and Theft Reduction Act. If passed, people with a history of theft convictions could be charged with a felony for stolen amounts under $950 including smash and grabs. Harsher punishments also would be reinstated for drug dealers.