HomeMy WebLinkAbout1/12/2021 Item 08, Sturm
From:Emma Sturm <
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:SLO City 2021-23 Financial Plan
Emma Sturm
DSA SLO Member
December 10th, 2020
Re: SLO City 2021-23 Financial Plan.
Dear San Luis Obispo City Council:
My name is Emma Sturm and I am a student, artist, worker, and activist who has lived on the Central Coast for
the last 22 years. I’m deeply concerned about my community’s well being and safety both from the perspective
of a fellow citizen and as a mental health professional. I see the following budgetary priorities as being vital for
protecting the public health of our community:
More funding toward housing welfare and social health services: Welfare saves lives! Especially
at a time when so many folks are struggling with fundamental basics like affording food and rent,
ensuring these basics are key to safety in my eyes. I personally believe that many crimes are
committed not out of malicious intent, rather they are crimes of poverty enacted because these basic
needs are not being met. I believe treating the problems at their source, by funding programs like
Behavioral Health Services, TMHA, CAPSLO, any programs that help secure housing for workforce
and low-income housing etc., does far more to protect our community safety more than a punitive,
militarized police force ever will. I also expect that supporting people’s basic needs will also have a
positive increase on things like economic recovery and resilience. Residents will have more
opportunities to support our downtown and surrounding economy if their entire paycheck isn’t being
used to cover rent and basic food. Though written for the Board of Supervisors in regards to the county
budget, I particularly like the specific recommendations put forth by Black Lives Matter Community
Action, linked here, which advocate for reinvesting 3% of the sheriff-coroner’s budget toward social
services, inmate resources, child support services, vetran services, parks & rec, and the library
systems, with specific line items and intended results given for each reinvestment decision.
The creation of an Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: White supremacy is still a major part
of this town’s history and I want our diversity efforts to be a permanent, ongoing effort. I don’t want it to
feel like I’m calling the whole town racist, rather I think it still treats whiteness as the default. As much
as we say we are welcoming, or the happiest town in the US, there are still a lot of people who feel
alienated, who feel this town can be hostile, and whose voices are worth listening to. I also view
diversity as being closely intertwined with economic stability. I don’t believe people of all cultural
backgrounds will ever truly feel welcome if they can’t afford the “market price” of houses or rentals in
the area.
I appreciate your time and patience in these difficult times and hope you are able to understand my request to
support residents in the area so they can thrive with dignity, agency, and safety instead of merely scraping
along or leaving our beautiful town because of the economic and cultural obstacles that are so deeply
ingrained in our community.
In Solidarity,
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Emma Sturm
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