HomeMy WebLinkAboutReview of SLO Budget
Christian, Kevin
From:Madeline Cooke <maddiercooke@gmail.com>
Sent:Tuesday, June 2, 2020 12:41 PM
To:E-mail Council Website; Harmon, Heidi; Gomez, Aaron; Christianson, Carlyn; Pease,
Andy; Stewart, Erica A
Subject:Review of SLO Budget
Dear City Council,
My name is Madeline Cooke, and I am a resident of San Luis Obispo.
As you know, George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, and so many
unnamed others have been killed because of our country’s systematically racist criminal justice
system.
In light of these events, we ask that in today’s review of the 2020-21 budget, you reallocate some of
the funds currently directed toward the police department to other programs and alternative forms
of policing, such as community policing, community development, or even a specific diversity,
equity, and inclusion line item. There are alternatives out there to this inherently racist,
classist, inequitable system as it currently operates.
This is a small request to begin to address the massive inequities and systems of oppression that
have been perpetuated by governmental inaction. Though this will not fix the problem, it will move
our city in a positive direction and demonstrate a tangible commitment to addressing systematic
racism.
The events that transpired yesterday regarding San Luis Obispo police responding with riot
gear, tear gas, and firecrackers to a peaceful protest was outrageous - especially, when just
hours earlier, those very same police officers kneeled with protestors in "solidarity." This is
not how we support our students, and our residents, who are standing up for black lives. If
the mission of police is to "protect and serve," I did not see that modeled last night, and we
have not seen that since the institution's foundation as slave patrols. We must imagine a new
future. We have done this before in our history, we can do it again.
Thank you for all you do for the City of San Luis Obispo and for your consideration. I look forward
to hearing back from you.
Madeline Cooke
1