HomeMy WebLinkAbout6/1/2021 Item 6a, Conrad
Delgado, Adriana
From:Kalea Conrad <kalea.conrad2@gmail.com>
Sent:Tuesday, June
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:SLO City Council Budget Meeting 6/1
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Hello Councilmembers,
My name is Kalea Conrad and I am a concerned student and SLO resident voicing my disapproval of the proposed
increase to the police budget in the coming fiscal years. Police do not keep us safe, but instead jeopardize the health and
safety of our BIPOC community, which directly disrupts any DEI measures undertaken by the city council to increase
diversity and inclusion. San Luis Obispo is proposing to spend about 25% of the city budget to be invested in the SLO
Police Department. This is directly harmful to the SLO community, as police never address root causes of harm, and
certainly never solve crime or harm, they simply relocate it. Your constituents are demanding that you reduce officer
headcount and the already-inflated budget of about $19.1 million by divesting at least $5 million from the SLO PD. Your
constituents do not want more money invested in police for de-escalation and diversity training for police. That is not
what will make our community safer. Instead, investing in health-giving and community-care resources such as
affordable food, housing, mental health services, etc., WILL. Please heed the calls by your constituents to put their
health and safety before policing.
Additionally, cutting the cannabis officer is not a demonstration of meaningful divestment from police. That is only
common sense. Marijuana legalization has already occurred.
Finally, the last thing the SLO community needs is an increased budget for police vehicular replacements/repairs. Please
consider the multitudes of ways you are actively divesting from community health (which you are sworn to prioritize as
a public servant) if you are a proponent of further-inflating the police budget.
Thank you for your time,
Kalea Conrad
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