Meeting Time: June 17, 2020 at 2:30pm MST
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Agenda Item

24 Adoption of the Final 2020-21 Operating Funds Budget (Ordinance S-46715) ***ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (SEE MEMO)***

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    Andrew Pace over 4 years ago

    I am a physician. Patient safety is my number one priority. From my perspective, the police department's number one priority should be the public's safety. Until the policing system in Phoenix can be dismantled then rebuilt with the public's safety as the number one priority, they should not receive the proposed funding.

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    Grace Dietz over 4 years ago

    As a resident of Phoenix Council District 3, I strongly oppose the 2020-21 budget as is and assert that it is time for the Phx City Council to redirect funds from the $744 million allocated to Phoenix PD to mental health and other community services that can strengthen our city and address crime at its root, thus countering the need for policing. Especially in the middle of a pandemic, the $242 million allocated to housing, human services, and community development pales in comparison to the PD.

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    Eva Valencia over 4 years ago

    The current budget doesn't see, hear, or empathize with Phoenicians. Please vote no and redirect funds from police to programs and services that help us.

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    James Khalsa over 4 years ago

    Defund the police! Less money to the cops, more money for our communities! Fund community support & community services instead of giving more money to the police.

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    Cecilia Nguyen over 4 years ago

    I strongly oppose the adoption of this budget, still! I think we should not be giving the public safety department an approx. $30 million dollar pay raise, when the Phoenix Police Department continues to be one of the most dangerous/abusive police departments in this country. We cannot continue to terrorize our low-income, black, brown and homeless communities with cops. We MUST invest this back into our community such as community enrichment and development.

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    Cris Cox over 4 years ago

    It is no secret that our community is in desperate need of funding. Children have school lunch debt, teachers buy supplies out of pocket, hospitals relying on donated PPE during a pandemic. So many homeless people in Phoenix who just need mental health care. I strongly oppose these budget allocations to the police and urge that they be distributed to areas which need funding to survive. Over funding police does more harm than good to our under funded community.

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    Melanie Esterman over 4 years ago

    We need more funds allocated to the community, not to the Police. In Phoenix, black people were killed by police at 2.9x a higher rate than white people. Phoenix is third in the country for police killings. We need better resources for the people, not for the police.

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    Cris McDaniel over 4 years ago

    I recently heard a grim statement from the President of PLEA in response to the ban on chokeholds. He said "If I'm punching a guy and it's not working do I just continue punching him? Or do I have to pull my gun out and kill him?" This speaks volumes to Phoenix PD's culture. I oppose any budget increases and support defunding the police. Please begin by redistributing funds to community programs that promote non-violent intervention that will eventually replace Phoenix PD. Invest in community.

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    Zach Denes over 4 years ago

    As someone who spends money and time throughout the beautiful city of Phoenix, I ask the council to reject this budget. Defund the police by reallocating funding to investigating alternative solutions to public safety and proven solutions for a healthier and safer Phoenix. Take the first step to reforming the systems that perpetuate harm against all of our communities by defunding the departments responsible for unjust and enduring harm and investing in a future we can be proud of.

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    Alexandra Perez over 4 years ago

    I oppose the budget allocations for public safety. Our public does not and has not been made to feel safe by our police department. Reallocate these funds to community development and enrichment. Strengthen our communities so that we can support and protect one another. Listen to your constituents. Safer communities for ALL of us require us to abandon police as the end all be all of “public safety.”

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    Amanda Leach over 4 years ago

    As a resident of District 3 and a proud educator, I firmly oppose the adoption of this budget. We have been very clear that continuing to fund a police dept and defund community education and enrichment programs is wrong. Allocating that much money perpetuates systemic racism. Police with access to military grade equipment is frivolous and dangerous as we have seen. You represent the people and the people have spoken. Fully funding citizen review board is only a drop in the bucket. Vote No!

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    Katherine Romero over 4 years ago

    Please reallocate the funding of a brutal police force to other systems that can better the community. Fund a system of healing, not a system of punishement.

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    Collin Land over 4 years ago

    It is a chain reaction that we have seen far too many times across our state and the country. When you do not invest in schools, community and health, you begin to see communities fall apart. This in turn leads to the need for more policing. The cycle must stop!

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    Erika Parra over 4 years ago

    There should be more funding for community services, community development, and human services then for the PHX PD. Funding the community will also help with saftey in the community and funding the right programs to maintain it. Do the right thing and fund the community not the police.

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    Eli Chevalier over 4 years ago

    I strongly oppose disproportionate funds ($74 million) being used to support Phoenix PD murdering innocent civilians. Listen to the people you govern over + fund violence prevention and youth programming. As a high school teacher I am disgusted by the funding of militance over education and well being of children.

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    Lauren Schellhase over 4 years ago

    This money needs to go to other services within the Phoenix community! The Human Services Campus needs beds, public schools are grossly underfunded, vets need better resources, the list is endless. This amount of money going to the police department is a misuse of public funds and your constituents DON'T WANT IT. Please do the right thing for the human beings of this city. STRONGLY OPPOSED!

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    Cynthia Caraveo over 4 years ago

    I oppose this budget for police funding and I urge city council to allocate these funds into community programs where it is needed. There are more severe priorities that need attention such as education, healthcare & mental health.

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    Brianna Roach over 4 years ago

    As a Phoenix resident, I oppose this budget. Please reconsider reallocating all or part of the police budget to community projects and education. How is it right for our educators to be paying for pencils out of pocket while the police get expensive military grade gear? If you want less crime, invest in the community.

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    Ana Ramos over 4 years ago

    Please vote NO on $744 million for Phoenix Police. Instead, invest that money on education, community programs, arts, our children who are the future of our city. DEFUND PHOENIX POLICE NOW!

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    Andrea Koesters over 4 years ago

    As a resident of Phoenix Council District 7, I strongly oppose this budget as is and assert that it is time for Phoenix City Council to redirect funds from the $744 million allocated to Phoenix PD to mental health and other community services that can strengthen our city and address crime at its root, thus countering the need for policing. We need a community of care, not a deadly police force.