HomeMy WebLinkAboutAccountability and the Police BudgetDear Mayor Harmon and San Luis Obispo City Council,
My name is Rikki Weber (she/her pronouns) and I grew up in San Luis Obispo and come back to visit many times a year to see friends, family, and soak in the beauty of the Central Coast.
I am writing to demand that the SLO City Council adopt a city budget that prioritizes community well-being, and redirects funding away from the police.
In 2019, SLO leaders allocated 36.3 million dollars to our police system, an inordinate 27.5% of your total budget. This is compared to just 7.3% of the budget, $9.7 million, allocated
towards community development, with only $1.4 million towards housing development. Next year, the city estimates that there will be a $8.6 million deficit as a result of the pandemic.
The city may recoup these funds by decreasing the police budget.
I demand that the City Council begin meaningfully defunding the San Luis Obispo Police Department and re-allocate those funds to programs proven to more effectively promote a safe and
equitable community. SLO residents need funding for community-based mental health services, substance abuse treatment services, affordable housing programs, not police. I demand a budget
that reflects the actual needs of my beloved SLO communities.
History has shown that police “reform” is not enough. No more money, and more importantly, no more lives must be lost to police. We must take a hard look at the way the current system
in place fails to serve-and in fact actively harms-our community, and come together to reimagine the role of police in our city.
I am urging you to completely revise the budget for the 2020-2021 fiscal year, and to invest in the people, not the police.
Sincerely,
Rikki Weber
Former Student at SLOHS and Proud Tiger