HomeMy WebLinkAboutAppropriate next steps regarding BLMDear Mayor Harmon and San Luis Obispo City Council,
I am a resident of San Luis Obispo. I am writing to demand that the
San Luis Obispo City Council adopt a city budget that further
prioritizes community well-being, and redirects funding away from the
police.
In 2019, the City of San Luis Obispo allocated 36.3 million dollars to
our police system, an inordinate 27.5% of our 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. We
need funding for community-based mental health services, substance
abuse treatment services, affordable housing programs, not police. I
appreciate Council's recent allocation of funds toward inclusion and
equity. That said, I demand a budget that reflects the actual needs of
San Luis Obispo residents and that means more of the funding should be
removed from the police budget and allocated toward mental health
workers and programs as well as adaptive community inclusion programs.
SLO considers itself to be a model for progressive politics and this
is an opportunity to seize the momentum of the current movement and
make lasting changes that will make our town safer for all its
residents, as well as adaptive to the impacts of political, social,
and economic challenges of this decade.
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.
Thank you for your time,
Cassidy McSurdy
2935 Augusta St. SLO
mcsurdy.c@gmail.com