HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity budget reallocationDear Mayor Harmon and San Luis Obispo City Council,
My name is Jason Schachter and 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 prioritizes community well-being,
and redirects funding away from the police.
In recent interactions the San Luis Obispo police have proven to be more dangerous than the situations they are supposed to be protecting from. The fact that they would use chemical
agents on their own citizens is abhorrent, and points to an organization that has grown out of control.
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 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 can 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 should be endangered by the 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,
Jason Schachter
1040 Longview Pismo Beach CA 93449
jasonlune@hotmail.com