HomeMy WebLinkAboutRe_ 2020-21 Budget Review (2)
Christian, Kevin
From:Tom Halen <tom.haleniii@gmail.com>
Sent:Wednesday, June 3, 2020 10:04 AM
To:Gomez, Aaron
Cc:E-mail Council Website
Subject:Re: 2020-21 Budget Review
Dear Mr. Gomez,
Thank you for providing me an update on the council’s decision. I am happy to hear our leadership is addressing equity
and inclusion in our community.
I hope that these funds will allow us and the police department to develop alternative methods to tear gas and other
forceful tactics when addressing the safety and disbursement of our citizens peaceful assemblies. As we have seen
across the country the hurt, anger and rage has reached a tipping point, and our leaders along with its citizens need to
address these issues without having our communities, becoming a police state.
Sincerely,
Tom Halen
On Jun 3, 2020, at 9:40 AM, Gomez, Aaron <agomez@slocity.org> wrote:
Hello ,
Thank you for your email. We had our Council meeting last night and we allocated $160,000
toward developing and implementing an equity and inclusion program. Prior to the meeting we
did have money set aside for this but it was increased significantly in order to get experts
involved in developing a program and having funds set aside to implement it. This issue has
been a priority for some time and we look forward to continuing to make progress.
Sincerely,
Aaron Gomez
Council Member
City of San Luis Obispo
Office of the City Council
E agomez@slocity.org
T (805) 540-9053
slocity.org
From: Tom Halen <tom.haleniii@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, June 3, 2020 8:31:29 AM
To: E-mail Council Website <emailcouncil@slocity.org>
Subject: Fwd: 2020-21 Budget Review
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Dear City Council,
My name is Tom Halen 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, I 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.
We believe 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.
Thank you for all you do for the City of San Luis Obispo and for your
consideration.
Sincerely,
Tom Halen
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