10 20-0477 Subject: Budget Directives For FY 20-21
From: President Pro Tempore Kalb And Councilmember Bas
Recommendation: Adopt A FY20-21 Budget Directive As Follows: City Council Directs The City Administrator To Immediately Undertake A Thorough Review Of 911 And Non-Emergency Police Calls For Service To Determine The Categories And Relative Volume Of Such Calls And To Evaluate Various Alternate Responder Models, Including Those That Include Mental Health Professionals, As Well As Evaluating The Potential For Creating A Civilian Traffic Unit For Most Moving Violations Or Using Technology For Traffic Enforcement, And Other Alternate Responder Opportunities That Would Be More Appropriate To The Nature Of The Service Requests, And To Review Other Strategies To Reduce Or Re-Direct 911 Call Volumes, With The Report Including Possible Action Items And FY21-23 Budget Recommendations Presented To The Council No Later Than October 30, 2020, And With The Police Commission Being Consulted On Such Analysis Prior To Presentation To City Council
I'm a resident of District 1. As long as the thorough review is prompt, fair, and occurs with community participation and oversight, I support it. The end goal of the review MUST be to significantly defund the OPD and invest that money in housing, health, and youth services. This must be a transparent and democratic process. I see this as a chance for Oakland to be a progressive leader in the country, rather than continuing to pour money into an inherently racist, oppressive that history shows cannot be reformed.
At this point, y'all should be ashamed to even be called public servants. After hours of public comment and thousands of e-mails, you voted to reduce OPD's budget by less than 2%. I have no words for how disgusting that is. To have the 3 black council members be the ones behind this dismal budget cut, is disappointing to say the least. How dare you invoke the names of black people murdered by the hands of the racist police to deflect the fact that the 'equity caucus' budget cuts were the least of any suggested. There is more than ample evidence as to why they should be defunded, more than ample numbers to back up the evidence, and structures ready to be implemented as soon as y'all simply do your jobs and listen to us. The people are screaming. We are watching. We are not going to just let this die down as I am sure you have all hoped we would.
There are now precedents to follow, this is not and ideology that is unattainable. Organizations have laid out a clear path to defunding and eventual abolishment. The Bay Area is supposed to lead the country in progressive changes. Oakland has rich history of doing so and to ignore that now would be a disservice to our legacy. Many black and brown organizations, like the Black Panthers, have died or been incarcerated fighting against the same repressive systems that you are upholding. We have the momentum to seize the moment and change history, do not be on the wrong side of it.
I live in District 2. We need more than what was included in the budget pushed through at last week's meeting. We demand the following:
1. Reduce OPD's budget by 50% with the option of further reductions, defund OPD by at least $25 million - it is your moral obligation to do so
2. End overtime for police officers
3. Prevent OPD from using general fund monies to settle lawsuits
4. Divert all funding from OPD to social services, mental health treatment, education, housing, jobs, restorative justice, youth programs, and other programs that actually keep communities safe.
I am a resident of Oakland's District 1. I support Councilmember Bas' proposal. Going forward the city needs to defund OPD by 50% and invest in the Black New Deal to support the livelihood of the people in Oakland.
Ok first, please put the zoom link on the webpage instead of buried in the agenda, it's inaccessible. Support Bas' resolution - we're gonna keep saying it, DEFUND THE POLICE. Invest in black and brown communities harmed by oppressive policing.
I am a resident of District 1 and support an audit of 911 calls and research into the alternatives to police response. I firmly believe that an armed stranger (police officer) is not the appropriate party to address most emergency calls. The research from this directive should inform *how substantially* Oakland will divest from OPD, not whether we will. The city council should move forward with significant budget cuts to OPD now and move to defund by at least 50% based on the results of the proposed research.
The stated involvement of the Police Commission must also be balanced by public participation and involvement.
Oakland is watching how you vote! Our city council should respond to the demands of its citizens and understand that an extraordinarily activated citizenry is prepared to ensure that your term ends this election cycle if you are unwilling to listen to the people. Council members Kalb, McElhaney, Gallo, Reid, and Kaplan are all up for re-election this fall.
As a resident of District 1, I demand that the Council divest from OPD and reinvest in our communities - this is just the first step.
I demand that OPD's budget is reduced by 50% and that all funding for OPD is diverted and reinvested into social and community services and programs.
I am a District 1 resident. For goodness' sake please reduce OPD's budget by 50%, end overtime for police officers, prevent OPD from using general fund money to settle lawsuits (how is that a thing?!), and divert all funding from OPD to social services, mental health treatment, education, housing, jobs, restorative justice, youth programs, arts programs, and other community enhancing programs.
Thank you.
I live in District 1 and although I support Councilmember Bas trying to work towards the right direction, we need more than what was included in the budget pushed through at last week's meeting (without 24 hours or public review, I might add) and this proposal. We demand the following:
1. Reduce OPD's budget by 50% with the option of further reductions
2. End overtime for police officers
3. Prevent OPD from using general fund monies to settle lawsuits
4. Divert all funding from OPD to social services, mental health treatment, education, housing, jobs, restorative justice, youth programs, and other programs that actually keep communities safe.
My name is Alexandra Early and I live in District 1. As we mourn the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Erik Salgado, and countless other victims of police murder in the East Bay and around the country, I call on you to reconsider the budget and vote with Council Members Kaplan and Bas on the proposal to defund the Oakland Police Department by at least $25 million. We demand that funds are reallocated into improving safety and providing adequate social services for all Oakland residents. Currently, the Oakland Police Department consumes 44% of the city’s general fund. In this crisis, we cannot afford to have this much money go to the Police Department. I feel so sad seeing the homeless people who live in our community, sleeping in their cars or on the sidewalks. We need money for mental health services and housing for them. Throwing all this money at the police doesn't solve our homelessness problem or keep them safe or keep me safe.
Please, this is your opportunity to show what side you are on in the fight for economic and racial justice and change Oakland for the better.
Hello Council,
I am a resident of District 2 and I urge you to reconsider last week's FY2020-2021 mid-cycle budget amendment. Continuing to fund OPD not only doesn’t allow resources for health and community services, it actively harms Oakland residents. OPD has been unable to reform itself and doesn't actually increase safety in our communities. The cuts proposed in last week's budget are categorically insufficient and while it was passed by the "equity caucus" it was anything but, as it was the most conservative proposal on the table.
I agree with APTP's call for a 50% reduction and acknowledge Nikki Fortunato Bas' latest proposal as the only one with any moral clarity. Our tax money should be divested from OPD and reinvested in the community for schools, housing, transit, mental health programs, community centers, and parks.
As a resident of D7 and the political director of Oakland Rising, that represents approx. 60K voters in the flatlands of Oakland, I urge the council support the passing of this agenda item in service to defunding the police.
I'm a resident of District 1 and I am extremely disappointed with Council's utter disregard for the demands of their constituents over the past month. Thousands of our residents called and wrote in to demand change and last week Council completely ignored us. While I support this measure it doesn't go nearly far enough. Defunding OPD by 50% should be a bare minimum starting point. The obscene amount of taxpayer money that currently goes to OPD will serve our community so much more effectively in the form of housing, health, education and mental health. I urge the entire council to not only support this measure, but commit to even an more substantial redirection of funds as soon as possible.
I urge the council to strongly consider the demands of the Anti Police-Terror Project to:
- Reduce OPD’s allocation from the General Fund by 50% (roughly $150 Million)
- Disallow unauthorized overtime by OPD
- Invest in housing, jobs, youth programs, restorative justice, mental health workers and other services that actually keep the community safe
My name is Tess Reichle and I am an Oakland resident (District 3). I am emailing you to voice my unequivocal support for defunding OPD and reinvesting in alternate community safety measures, per Agenda Item #10 for today’s City Council meeting.
As an OUSD teacher, I’ve seen firsthand the traumatic effects that OPD has on our community and our children, harming our most vulnerable Black, Brown, and queer youth and keeping them in a cycle of terror and disproportionate surveillance. It is wonderful that OUSD is cutting ties with OPD, but the positive effects of that will be limited if youths are still routinely harassed and criminalized by police in their communities.
As you know, numerous impartial studies have been conducted proving how mismanaged, misbudgeted, and ineffective police departments are, and how they manufacture more crime (and overpolice for nonviolent misdemeanors) far more than they actually work to keep us safe.
Oakland is EXACTLY the sort of progressive city that needs to follow Minneapolis’s lead in immediately making good on our unfulfilled promises to our citizens by defunding the police and reinvesting that money in social programs and nonpolicing community based safety structures. We keep us safe!
I am a resident of Oakland District 2 and I support the following:
Defund the Oakland Police Department
Invest the money from defunding OPD into housing and healthcare
Stop the use of violence of any kind against protestors (ban chokeholds, restraints, tear gas, rubber bullets)
The city’s review of 911 calls must have community participation and involvement
We must have a transparent, democratic process in reconsidering the “equity caucus” budget amendment
I support this review, however it is more important to fully defund the police and divert their funding to other social services. I ask that the council:
1. Reduce OPD's budget by 50% with the option of further reductions
2. End overtime for police officers
3. Prevent OPD from using general fund monies to settle lawsuits
4. Divert all funding from OPD to social services, mental health treatment, education, housing, jobs, restorative justice, youth programs, and other programs that actually keep communities safe.
I am a lifelong Oakland resident and currently live in District 1. I have seen the police terrorize my friends and family my whole life while vital community services, that could actually prevent crime, languish. We cannot wait another day, let alone an entire year, to defund the police. It's time to reimagine safety in a way that works for all of Oakland's citizens. I join the voices of thousands of my neighbors to demand that the Oakland City Council reopens the budget and defunds the OPD no less than the $25 million proposed by Councilperson Bas.
I am a resident of District 1 and I demand that the Council Divest from OPD and reinvest that into our communities through housing, healthcare, and other vital services that actually keep us safe.
I'm a resident of District 1 and I support this budget directive as a temporary measure on the way to redistributing OPD's budget to community services. As elected officials, you have a moral obligation to listen and more importantly understand the people you represent. What do you want your legacy to be as councilmembers? Thank you.
I'm a resident of District 1. As long as the thorough review is prompt, fair, and occurs with community participation and oversight, I support it. The end goal of the review MUST be to significantly defund the OPD and invest that money in housing, health, and youth services. This must be a transparent and democratic process. I see this as a chance for Oakland to be a progressive leader in the country, rather than continuing to pour money into an inherently racist, oppressive that history shows cannot be reformed.
At this point, y'all should be ashamed to even be called public servants. After hours of public comment and thousands of e-mails, you voted to reduce OPD's budget by less than 2%. I have no words for how disgusting that is. To have the 3 black council members be the ones behind this dismal budget cut, is disappointing to say the least. How dare you invoke the names of black people murdered by the hands of the racist police to deflect the fact that the 'equity caucus' budget cuts were the least of any suggested. There is more than ample evidence as to why they should be defunded, more than ample numbers to back up the evidence, and structures ready to be implemented as soon as y'all simply do your jobs and listen to us. The people are screaming. We are watching. We are not going to just let this die down as I am sure you have all hoped we would.
There are now precedents to follow, this is not and ideology that is unattainable. Organizations have laid out a clear path to defunding and eventual abolishment. The Bay Area is supposed to lead the country in progressive changes. Oakland has rich history of doing so and to ignore that now would be a disservice to our legacy. Many black and brown organizations, like the Black Panthers, have died or been incarcerated fighting against the same repressive systems that you are upholding. We have the momentum to seize the moment and change history, do not be on the wrong side of it.
Please just do the right thing.
I live in District 2. We need more than what was included in the budget pushed through at last week's meeting. We demand the following:
1. Reduce OPD's budget by 50% with the option of further reductions, defund OPD by at least $25 million - it is your moral obligation to do so
2. End overtime for police officers
3. Prevent OPD from using general fund monies to settle lawsuits
4. Divert all funding from OPD to social services, mental health treatment, education, housing, jobs, restorative justice, youth programs, and other programs that actually keep communities safe.
I am a resident of Oakland's District 1. I support Councilmember Bas' proposal. Going forward the city needs to defund OPD by 50% and invest in the Black New Deal to support the livelihood of the people in Oakland.
Ok first, please put the zoom link on the webpage instead of buried in the agenda, it's inaccessible. Support Bas' resolution - we're gonna keep saying it, DEFUND THE POLICE. Invest in black and brown communities harmed by oppressive policing.
I am a resident of District 1 and support an audit of 911 calls and research into the alternatives to police response. I firmly believe that an armed stranger (police officer) is not the appropriate party to address most emergency calls. The research from this directive should inform *how substantially* Oakland will divest from OPD, not whether we will. The city council should move forward with significant budget cuts to OPD now and move to defund by at least 50% based on the results of the proposed research.
The stated involvement of the Police Commission must also be balanced by public participation and involvement.
Oakland is watching how you vote! Our city council should respond to the demands of its citizens and understand that an extraordinarily activated citizenry is prepared to ensure that your term ends this election cycle if you are unwilling to listen to the people. Council members Kalb, McElhaney, Gallo, Reid, and Kaplan are all up for re-election this fall.
As a resident of District 1, I demand that the Council divest from OPD and reinvest in our communities - this is just the first step.
I demand that OPD's budget is reduced by 50% and that all funding for OPD is diverted and reinvested into social and community services and programs.
I am a D5 resident and I support this recommendation and calls to defund OPD by at least 50%
I am a District 1 resident. For goodness' sake please reduce OPD's budget by 50%, end overtime for police officers, prevent OPD from using general fund money to settle lawsuits (how is that a thing?!), and divert all funding from OPD to social services, mental health treatment, education, housing, jobs, restorative justice, youth programs, arts programs, and other community enhancing programs.
Thank you.
I live in District 1 and although I support Councilmember Bas trying to work towards the right direction, we need more than what was included in the budget pushed through at last week's meeting (without 24 hours or public review, I might add) and this proposal. We demand the following:
1. Reduce OPD's budget by 50% with the option of further reductions
2. End overtime for police officers
3. Prevent OPD from using general fund monies to settle lawsuits
4. Divert all funding from OPD to social services, mental health treatment, education, housing, jobs, restorative justice, youth programs, and other programs that actually keep communities safe.
My name is Alexandra Early and I live in District 1. As we mourn the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Erik Salgado, and countless other victims of police murder in the East Bay and around the country, I call on you to reconsider the budget and vote with Council Members Kaplan and Bas on the proposal to defund the Oakland Police Department by at least $25 million. We demand that funds are reallocated into improving safety and providing adequate social services for all Oakland residents. Currently, the Oakland Police Department consumes 44% of the city’s general fund. In this crisis, we cannot afford to have this much money go to the Police Department. I feel so sad seeing the homeless people who live in our community, sleeping in their cars or on the sidewalks. We need money for mental health services and housing for them. Throwing all this money at the police doesn't solve our homelessness problem or keep them safe or keep me safe.
Please, this is your opportunity to show what side you are on in the fight for economic and racial justice and change Oakland for the better.
Hello Council,
I am a resident of District 2 and I urge you to reconsider last week's FY2020-2021 mid-cycle budget amendment. Continuing to fund OPD not only doesn’t allow resources for health and community services, it actively harms Oakland residents. OPD has been unable to reform itself and doesn't actually increase safety in our communities. The cuts proposed in last week's budget are categorically insufficient and while it was passed by the "equity caucus" it was anything but, as it was the most conservative proposal on the table.
I agree with APTP's call for a 50% reduction and acknowledge Nikki Fortunato Bas' latest proposal as the only one with any moral clarity. Our tax money should be divested from OPD and reinvested in the community for schools, housing, transit, mental health programs, community centers, and parks.
Thank you.
Kate Hubbell
District 2
As a resident of D7 and the political director of Oakland Rising, that represents approx. 60K voters in the flatlands of Oakland, I urge the council support the passing of this agenda item in service to defunding the police.
I'm a resident of District 1 and I am extremely disappointed with Council's utter disregard for the demands of their constituents over the past month. Thousands of our residents called and wrote in to demand change and last week Council completely ignored us. While I support this measure it doesn't go nearly far enough. Defunding OPD by 50% should be a bare minimum starting point. The obscene amount of taxpayer money that currently goes to OPD will serve our community so much more effectively in the form of housing, health, education and mental health. I urge the entire council to not only support this measure, but commit to even an more substantial redirection of funds as soon as possible.
I urge the council to strongly consider the demands of the Anti Police-Terror Project to:
- Reduce OPD’s allocation from the General Fund by 50% (roughly $150 Million)
- Disallow unauthorized overtime by OPD
- Invest in housing, jobs, youth programs, restorative justice, mental health workers and other services that actually keep the community safe
Listen to your communities!
Hello,
My name is Tess Reichle and I am an Oakland resident (District 3). I am emailing you to voice my unequivocal support for defunding OPD and reinvesting in alternate community safety measures, per Agenda Item #10 for today’s City Council meeting.
As an OUSD teacher, I’ve seen firsthand the traumatic effects that OPD has on our community and our children, harming our most vulnerable Black, Brown, and queer youth and keeping them in a cycle of terror and disproportionate surveillance. It is wonderful that OUSD is cutting ties with OPD, but the positive effects of that will be limited if youths are still routinely harassed and criminalized by police in their communities.
As you know, numerous impartial studies have been conducted proving how mismanaged, misbudgeted, and ineffective police departments are, and how they manufacture more crime (and overpolice for nonviolent misdemeanors) far more than they actually work to keep us safe.
Oakland is EXACTLY the sort of progressive city that needs to follow Minneapolis’s lead in immediately making good on our unfulfilled promises to our citizens by defunding the police and reinvesting that money in social programs and nonpolicing community based safety structures. We keep us safe!
Sincerely,
Tess Reichle
I am a resident of Oakland District 2 and I support the following:
Defund the Oakland Police Department
Invest the money from defunding OPD into housing and healthcare
Stop the use of violence of any kind against protestors (ban chokeholds, restraints, tear gas, rubber bullets)
The city’s review of 911 calls must have community participation and involvement
We must have a transparent, democratic process in reconsidering the “equity caucus” budget amendment
I support this review, however it is more important to fully defund the police and divert their funding to other social services. I ask that the council:
1. Reduce OPD's budget by 50% with the option of further reductions
2. End overtime for police officers
3. Prevent OPD from using general fund monies to settle lawsuits
4. Divert all funding from OPD to social services, mental health treatment, education, housing, jobs, restorative justice, youth programs, and other programs that actually keep communities safe.
I am a lifelong Oakland resident and currently live in District 1. I have seen the police terrorize my friends and family my whole life while vital community services, that could actually prevent crime, languish. We cannot wait another day, let alone an entire year, to defund the police. It's time to reimagine safety in a way that works for all of Oakland's citizens. I join the voices of thousands of my neighbors to demand that the Oakland City Council reopens the budget and defunds the OPD no less than the $25 million proposed by Councilperson Bas.
I am a resident of District 1 and I demand that the Council Divest from OPD and reinvest that into our communities through housing, healthcare, and other vital services that actually keep us safe.
I'm a resident of District 1 and I support this budget directive as a temporary measure on the way to redistributing OPD's budget to community services. As elected officials, you have a moral obligation to listen and more importantly understand the people you represent. What do you want your legacy to be as councilmembers? Thank you.