Wednesday, July 08, 2020

Important Budget Issue - your action required!

from Heather (note that the amendments also include language to require public hearings):

SAY NO TO $36 million Police Law Enforcement Center WITHOUT Public Input!

 

Today we mobilize to AMEND the 2021-2025 Capital Improvement Projects Budget: SAY NO to a $36M Police Law Enforcement Center without public input!

The proposed Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budget will go before the City Council tomorrow, July 8 at 6 p.m. for final approval. Though we have tried in earnest to have the entire CIP budget delayed in light of COVID-19 and the subsequent budget crisis, as well as lack of public input and community impact assessments, the budget WILL BE up for a vote tomorrow night.  

We are mobilizing to AMEND items in the CIP budget that we find most egregious. The amendments below have been cleared and will be uploaded on Legistar shortly. We can ACT NOW!

Our goal is to have 1,000 residents contact the ENTIRE City Council TODAY with PERSONALIZED statements in support of these amendments! After you send your email, please notify us and SHARE with your people. THEN, update with counts of how many completed the action if you can. We are aiming for 1,000 contacts today!!! 

SHARE WIDELY and FOLLOW UP

Olson Amendment #1:
Line Item [8] Police Law Enforcement Center

  • Delete $25,000,000 from 2023 GOB (GOB = General Obligation Bonds)
  • Delete $10,000,000 from 2024 GOB
Olson Amendment #2:
Line Item [645] City Hall Lobby Renovation
  • Reduce 2021 GOB funding from $1,500,000 to $140,000
  • Move $1,360,000 GOB funding to 2022
Line Item [272] Main Library Flooring
  • Amend project title to read "Main Library Flooring and Shelving"
  • Increase GOB funding from current amount of $170,000 to $310,000
  • Move full funding from 2022 to 2021
Line Item [23] Myrick Park Playground
  • Move $500,000 GOB allocation from 2022-2021
Line Item [443] Weigent Park Shelter
  • Move $300,000 GOB allocation from 2022 to 2021
Line Item [552] Riverside Park Bathrooms
  • Move $250,000 GOB allocation from 2022 to 2021
And, a third amendment is forthcoming regarding funding for renovation work at South Branch Library in 2021! Keep eyes out for that!

Full amendment text here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/14f8D_3KCfX2GsLhyLZkH2QpCcUT0fDTz/view?usp=sharing

We're Taking Notice, Acting Together!! We need to ALL send PERSONALIZED statements of support for these amendments TODAY! Many council members go from work to the meeting tomorrow night, so today must be our day of action to make sure they have time to HEAR US and ACT ACCORDINGLY!

Example (but please personalize)

Council Members,

My name is __________ and I live at ____________. I am writing in support of Olson amendment #1 and #2 to the CIP budget. Please pass these amendments at tomorrow night's meeting and do the work of soliciting public input and completing community impact studies needed in regards to the proposed Police Law Enforcement Center and City Hall Renovations. Don't say yes to the money until they've done the work! We're in the midst of remaking how we do policing in America and we're also in the midst of a public health crisis. Our 2021-2025 CIP budget needs to reflect those realities!


Thank you.
Get more information from

1 comment:

Heather Talbot said...

Thank you so much for posting this, Cathy!!!