HomeMy WebLinkAboutPLEASE - Defund SLO PDDear Mayor Harmon and San Luis Obispo City Council,
My name is Nadia and I am a former resident of San Luis Obispo. A Cal Poly Alum, Class of 2010. I am writing to demand that the San Luis Obispo City Council adopt a city budget that
prioritizes community well-being, and redirects funding away from the police. While living in SLO, I was generally ignorant of the racial issues on the Cal Poly campus, being a Brown
woman, I find my lack of empathy towards those now horrific for my older self, so here I am, asking you to take a look at this system which has oppressed diverse communities. I follow
a couple SLO accounts on instagram, and the increased social / racial awareness that I've seen come from the current SLO residents I've seen is quite refreshing, but there is a long
way to go.
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 demand a budget that
reflects the actual needs of San Luis Obispo residents.
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,
Nadia Yousuf
San Luis Obispo Resident: 2006-2010
Bay Area Native: Saratoga, San Francisco, Oakland, & Berkeley
Currently in Washington, DC