>> THIS IS ELIZABETH FROM
COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
WE ARE READY WHEN YOU ARE.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.
THE RECESSED JUNE 17, 2020
SELECT BUDGET COMMITTEE MEETING
IS NOW BACK IN ORDER. WE WILL
PROCEED WITH OUR BUSINESS.
IT IS TO: 01 P.M.
AND I AM CHAIRMAN MOSQUEDA.
CALL THE ROLL.
>> SAWANT?
>> HERE.
>> LEWIS?
>> PRESENT.
>> MORALE IS?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT GONZALEZ?
>> HERE.
>> CHAIR MOSQUEDA?
>> HERE.
PRESENT.
>> I AM HERE.
>> HELLO?
>> COUNCILMEMBER --
>> THANKS ALIVE, GUYS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> MADAM CLERK, WILL YOU LET US
KNOW HOW MANY ARE HERE TOTAL
AGAIN?
>> SIX PRESENT.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
MADAM CLERK, TODAY WE HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY -- I'M SORRY,
COUNCILMEMBERS ANYONE ELSE JOIN
US AFTER ROLL CALL?
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN HERE,
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> ANYONE ELSE HERE THAT WE DID
NOT GET?
MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU LET US
KNOW HOW MANY ARE HERE AGAIN?
>> EIGHT ARE PRESENT.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
COUNCIL COLLEGUES WE CONTINUE
THE CONVERSATION IN THE SELECT
BUDGET COMMITTEE AND THIS
AFTERNOON'S SECTION FOCUSED ON
THE BUDGET CONVERSATION.
WE HAVE NOT YET RECEIVED THE
PROPOSED 2020 SUPPLEMENTAL
BUDGET THAT WOULD BE COMING
FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
WE HOPE TO HAVE THAT NEXT
WEDNESDAY.
THIS IS THE SECOND CONVERSATION
WE ARE HAVING AROUND THE CALL
FROM COMMUNITY TO DEFUND THE
POLICE, TO EXAMINE POLICE
DEPARTMENT SPENDING AND
REALLOCATE FUNDING TO COMMUNITY
AND UPSTREAM INVESTMENT.
THIS IS THE SECOND MEETING
WHERE WE HAVE LUNCH AN INQUEST
IN THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT BUDGET.
LAST WEEK WE HAD A NUMBER OF
PEOPLE WHO WROTE IN ABOUT HOW
DETAILED THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW WAS AND
THAT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE
BASELINE UNDERSTANDING SO WE
CAN FIGURE HOW TO REALLOCATE
FUNDING.
TODAY WE HAVE A CHANCE TO HEAR
FROM COUNCILMEMBERS ACROSS THE
COUNTRY.
WE HAVE JEREMIAH FROM
MINNEAPOLIS CITY COUNCIL, BRAD
FROM NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL,
GREGORIO FROM AUSTIN CITY
COUNCIL, AND TRACY WHO IS A
LEGISLATIVE AIDE FROM SAN
FRANCISCO CITY SUPERVISOR'S
OFFICE. WE HAVE SENT TO YOU
MATERIALS SO YOU CAN HAVE
BACKGROUND ON WHAT OTHER CITIES
ARE DOING AS THEY CONSIDER
POTENTIALLY DEFUNDING OR
CUTTING BUDGET PRIORITIES AND
REALLOCATING THOSE TWO UPSTREAM
INVESTMENTS AS COMMUNITY
MEMBERS ARE CALLING FOR.
THE SECOND PRESENTER IS ANGELA
RITCHIE FROM BERNARD CENTER FOR
RESEARCH ON WOMEN AND WE WILL
GET THROUGH THOSE PRESENTATIONS
AND MY EXPECTATION AND HOPE IS
WE WILL BE WRAPPED UP BY 4:00
P.M.
TODAY.
WE WILL TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT FOR
HALF AN HOUR NOW AND AT THIS
TIME WE OPEN -- I'M SORRY, LET
ME MAKE SURE WE HAVE ALREADY
APPROVED THE AGENDA SO NO NEED
TO DO THAT AGAIN?
CORRECT?
>> CORRECT.
>> AT THIS TIME WE WILL OPEN
REMOTE PUBLIC MARY -- PUBLIC
MEETING.
BACK IN THE COUNCIL RESERVES
THE RIGHT TO CONTINUE AMENDING
TH PROCESS HERE AS WE DEEM
THERE ARE OTHER WAYS WE COULD
DO THIS AND WE WILL OF COURSE
CONTINUE TO AMEND THE SYSTEM TO
GET AS MANY PEOPLE IN AS
POSSIBLE.
SINCE WE ARE ALL HOME OR TRYING
TO STAY HOME AS MUCH AS
POSSIBLE TO STAY HEALTHY AND
AVOID THE SPREAD OF COVID WE
WANT THE PROCESS TO WORK
SMOOTHLY.
REMEMBER YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE TO
TESTIFY AND WE WILL CONTINUE
THE PRESENTATION OR PUBLIC
COMMENTS UNTIL 2:35.
AS YOU HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST WE
HAVE THIS TIME HER IN FRONT OF
US.
YOU WILL HAVE ONE MINUTE TO
TESTIFY AND YOU HAVE 50 SECONDS
AND THEN A 50 SECONDS WE HEAR A
CHIME IN THEN YOU HAVE 10
SECONDS TO WRAP UP.
YOU WILL HEAR A NOTE THAT SAYS
YOU HAVE BEEN UNMUTED. WE HOPE
FOLKS WILL TAKE THE CHANCE TO
WRAP IT UP.
I WILL ASK OUR ESSENTIAL STAFF
OR THE COMMUNICATION STAFF OR
I.T.
STAFF TO SEND ME THE LIST OF
FOLKS WHO SIGNED IN TO TESTIFY
SO I HAVE IT AT THE TOP OF THE
LIST. AND FINALLY AS A REMINDER,
AS YOU HANG UP, DIAL BACK IN
AND YOU WILL HAVE THE CHANCE TO
LISTEN TO THE REST OF THE
PUBLIC TESTIMONY OR MEETING
USING STREAMS AVAILABLE ONLINE
LIVE OR LISTEN IN LINE OR YOU
CAN WATCH ON THE SEATTLE
CHANNEL.
THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO HAS
SIGNED UP TO TESTIFY.
WE KNOW THERE IS A LOT OF
INTEREST IN THIS ISSUE.
WITH THAT I WILL DOUBLE CHECK
WITH OUR CLERK'S OFFICE IF WE
HAVE FOLKS WHO ARE SIGNED UP,
PLEASE DO LET ME KNOW.
>> COUNCILMEMBER, I SENT THE
MAIL TO YOU FOR THE SPREADSHEET
FOR SIGNING IN.
>> WONDERFUL.
>> WAITING FOR TECHNOLOGY TO
KEEP UP WITH THAT.
I JUST RECEIVED IT.
I APOLOGIZE FOR THE DELAY.
I WILL READ THE FIRST THREE
NAMES AND THEN YOU WILL HEAR
THEM UNMUTED.
THANK YOU TO ALLISON FOR
CALLING BACK AND I KNOW WE
SKIPPED YOU THIS MORNING AND
APPRECIATE YOU ON THE LINE.
FIRST IS ALLISON FOLLOWED BY
LAURA AND THEN REBECCA.
ALLISON?
WELCOME BACK.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH,
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA.
MY NAME IS ALLISON AND I'M THE
DIRECTOR OF THE SEATTLE KING
COUNTY COALITION ON
HOMELESSNESS.
I HAVE GREAT APPRECIATION AND
THANKS TO YOU COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA FOR INTRODUCING THE
JUMPSTART SEATTLE LEGISLATION
AND TO COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT AND
MORALES FOR THEIR ADVOCACY FOR
PROGRESSIVE REVENUE.
I THINK EVERYONE LISTENING
UNDERSTANDS THAT WE HAVE THE
MOST REGRESSIVE TAX STRUCTURE
IN THE NOESEN AND THIS IS ONE
OF MANY EFFORTS THAT WE
URGENTLY NEED TO ENSURE WE ARE
RESPONDING TO COMMUNITY NEEDS
THAT WERE AT A CRITICAL LEVEL
BEFORE COVID-19 BEGAN, AND THAT
NOW HAVE REACHED THE LEVEL OF A
TRIPLE EMERGENCY.
I AM SPEAKING IN STRONG SUPPORT
OF THE CONCEPT THAT AMONG OTHER
THINGS, A LARGE PORTION OF THE
FUNDS WILL BE DIRECTED TOWARDS
HOUSING FOR PEOPLE AT 0% TO 30%
AT AMI AND AMI WILL CHANGE AS A
RESULT OF THE CRISIS BUT RIGHT
NOW WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
HOUSING FOR PEOPLE LIVING IN
SOME CASES ON LESS THAN $500 A
WEEK.
>> THANK YOU, ALLISON.
PLEASE SEND THE REST OF THE
COMMENTS I KNOW YOU WERE
WAITING TO CHIME IN THIS
MORNING.
AND NOW LAURA?
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS LAUREL AND I AM A
RESIDENT IN DISTRICT 6. I AM
CALLING TO ECHO THE SENTIMENTS
THAT HAVE BEEN EXPRESSED BY THE
COMMUNITY RECENTLY TO
DRASTICALLY DEFUND AND EVEN
RADICALLY RETHINK THE ENTIRE
CONCEPT OF POLICE. RECENT ACTS
OF POLICE BRUTALITY AGAINST
PEACEFUL PROTESTERS WERE
HORRIFYING AND SERVE TO
UNDERSCORE THE FACT THAT POLICE
DON'T KEEP US SAFE.
A SAFE SOCIETY IS BUILT ON
ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FOR
EVERYONE, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT,
DECRIMINALIZATION OF NONVIOLENT
CRIMES, A ROBUST AND
COMPASSIONATE MEDICAL AND
MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM, AND
INVESTMENT IN EDUCATION AND
AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WHY ARE WE SPENDING MONEY
ARMING MILITANT BULLIES WHEN WE
COULD INVEST THOSE RESOURCES IN
THE COMMUNITY DIRECTLY?
PLEASE STRONGLY CONSIDER
IMMEDIATELY DEFUNDING THE
POLICE BUDGET BY 50% AND WORK
TOWARDS EVENTUALLY DISMANTLING
THE POLICE ALTOGETHER FOR SAFER
-- THANK YOU.
>> REBECCA?
>> HELLO, I AM REBECCA AND I
WORK FOR THE TINY HOUSE PROGRAM
IN DISTRICT 2 AND THANK YOU
COUNCILMEMBERS FOR LEADERSHIP
DURING DIFFICULT TIMES.
AND ESPECIALLY COUNCILMEMBERS
MIRELES, SOLANA MOSQUEDA FOR
THE PLANS THAT WERE MUCH NEEDED
REVENUE TO INVEST IN AFFORDABLE
HOUSING.
I SUPPORT FUTURE EFFORTS TO
DEFUND AS PD AND THE NAVIGATION
TEAM AS WELL AND ALLOCATE
FUNDING FROM COVID-19 RELIEF AS
PD PROGRESSIVE REVENUE TOWARD
TINY HOUSE VILLAGES.
AS YOU HEAR, TINY HOUSES SAVE
LIVES.
THE VILLAGES HAVE A SUCCESS
RECORD AND QUICK TO SET UP.
WE HAVE LOST SO MANY TO
SHORTCOMINGS IN ADDRESSING
POLICE BRUTALITY -- ARE
ENFORCING.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SEE HOW YOU
CONTINUE TO USE HER POSITION OF
LEADERSHIP TO DISMANTLE THE
EXISTING SYSTEM -- THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
THE NEXT THREE PEOPLE ARE ERICA
GONZALEZ, COLLIN AND LAUREN.
ERIKA, WELCOME.
>> HELLO, MY NAME FOR THE
RECORD IS ERICA GONZALEZ AND
I'M A RESIDENT IN DISTRICT 3,
AND I WANTED TO SPEAK ABOUT THE
DEMANDS THAT CAME OUT OF
C.H.A.Z.
IN THE FIRST COUPLE DAYS AND
ARE COMMON DEMANDS THROUGHOUT.
I WOULD ALSO REALLY LIKE TO SAY
I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR
EFFORTS , HOWEVER I DO NOT
THINK ANYONE OF YOU HAVE BEEN
AS STRONG AS I WOULD LIKE ON
THIS ISSUE.
I DEMAND AND BLACK PEOPLE WHO
WERE AT C.H.A.Z.
THAT FIRST NIGHT WANT THESE
DEMANDS.
I DEMAND THE POLICE BE
ABOLISHED IMMEDIATELY . THERE
IS NO REASON AND NO EXCUSE FOR
THE TERROR AND LACK OF HUMANITY
THEY HAVE SHOWN TO THE BLACK
PEOPLE OF SEATTLE.
DEFUND AND ABOLISH IMMEDIATELY.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
COLLIN?
>> WELCOME.
>> MY NAME IS COLIN AND I AM
CURRENTLY A SOCIAL WORKER
EMBEDDED IN THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT CRISIS RESPONSE
TEAM.
OUR FOCUS IS IMMEDIATE RESPONSE
AND FOLLOW-UP TO A WIDE VARIETY
OF 911 CRISIS CALLS AND THERE
ARE CURRENTLY FIVE PEOPLE IN MY
ROLE NOW IN THE CITY COUNCIL
FUNDED FOUR ADDITIONAL
POSITIONS LAST YEAR.
RECENTLY PEOPLE IN THE CITY AND
ACROSS THE NATION ARE CALLING
FOR MORE SOCIAL WORKERS TO BE
THE ONES RESPONDING TO 911
CRISIS CALLS WHEN ARMED POLICE
AREN'T NEEDED.
OUR TEAM HAS MANY IDEAS ABOUT
HOW OUR ROLE COULD BE EXPANDED
AND USED MORE EFFECTIVELY TO
MEET THE NEEDS OF THE
COMMUNITY.
ONE BRIEF EXAMPLE IS IN THE
CURRENT STRUCTURE SOCIAL
WORKERS CANNOT RESPOND TO ANY
911 CALLS WITHOUT THE PRESENCE
OF AT LEAST TWO UNIFORMED
OFFICERS AT SOME POINT DURING
THE INTERVENTION. BY FUNDING
MORE SOCIAL WORKERS AND
CHANGING POLICIES, WE COULD BE
UTILIZED IN A MORE EFFECTIVE WAY
AND USE OUR CRITICAL DE-
ESCALATION SKILLS.
THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS PROVIDING
SAFE TRAUMA-INFORMED AND
CULTURALLY COMPETENT RESPONSES
TO MEET THE DIVERSE NEEDS OF
PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING
THE CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW
SOCIAL WORKERS CAN BE MORE
EFFECTIVELY INTEGRATED IN THE
EMERGENCY RESPONSE SYSTEM.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COLLIN.
LAUREN?
>> GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE AND
THANK YOU FOR THIS PUBLIC,
OPPORTUNITY.
MY NAME IS LAUREN AND I'M THE
SENIOR BUSINESS IN OPERATION
ANALYST AT BSC AND FOR
INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS IN SEATTLE.
I'M CALLING ON BEHALF OF
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA JUMPSTART
PROGRESSIVE PAYROLL TAX
PROPOSAL AND SPENDING WHICH
PRESENTS A VERY DETAILED
SPENDING PLAN BASED ON INPUT
FROM MANY STAKEHOLDERS
INCLUDING LABOR AND NONPROFIT
PROVIDERS THAT CLEARLY
PRIORITIZE THE URGENCY OF
ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS IN OUR
COMMUNITY.
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE
COUNCILMEMBERS BROAD OUTREACH
IN AN ONGOING ENGAGEMENT.
THIS IS A LONGTIME CRISIS AND
THE RISK TO HOMELESS PEOPLE AND
THE EMPLOYEES WORKING TO
ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS HAVE
INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY DURING
THE COVID PANDEMIC.
IT'S A REASONABLE TOXIN IF WE
CAN'T ACT OUT WHEN WILL WE EVER?
REED HAS PREVAILED FOR FAR TOO
LONG IN THE CITY AND WE HAVE
THE OPPORTUNITY TO TURN IT
AROUND FOR THE BENEFIT OF US
ALL NOW.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU, LAUREN.
THE NEXT THREE ARE ANDY, [NAME
INDISCERNIBLE]
AND FREEMAN.
ANDY, WELCOME.
>> IF YOU CAN START AGAIN.
ú>> I AM ANDY, RESIDENT OF
DISTRICT 2 AND PUBLIC HEALTH IN
HERE TO AMPLIFY DEMAND OF BLACK
LIVES MATTER AND COMMUNITY
MEMBERS INCLUDING DEFUNDING
POLICE AND REINVESTING IN
COMMUNITY SERVICES AND CAPITAL.
IT'S IN DIRECT ALIGNMENT WITH
OFFICIAL EVIDENCE-BASED POLICY
STATEMENT IN THE 2018 HEALTH
AMERICAN PUBLIC HEALTH
ASSOCIATION AND A LARGE BODY OF
RESEARCH ON SOCIAL DETERMINANTS
OF HEALTH.
I SAY POLICING REPRODUCES
INEQUITABLE SOCIAL AND
CONDITIONS THAT PRECIPITATE
INTERVENTION BY LAW
ENFORCEMENT.
THE MONKS 134 CITED REFERENCES
ON POLICE VIOLENCE ONE NOTES A
META-ANALYSIS OF 62 STUDIES
PUBLISHED BETWEEN 1973 AND 2013
SHOW NO SIGNIFICANT ASSOCIATION
BETWEEN SIZE AND COMBINED
VIOLENT PROPERTY RATES AND
VIOLENT CRIME REMAINED STABLE
ONE LAW ENFORCEMENT WITHDREW
FROM NEIGHBORHOODS.
PUBLIC HEALTH HAS PROVIDED
SIGNIFICANT EVIDENCE FOR SOCIAL
DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH APPROACH
AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK
WITH COMMUNITY ON THE EFFORTS.
SIGNIFICANT FUNDING FOR THE
ISSUES IS LONG OVERDUE AND WE
MUCH DIGRESS AND INVESTING
COMMUNITY CENTERS OF HEALING.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
NEXT PLEASE.
>> I LIVE IN DISTRICT NUMBER 1.
I AM CALLING TO SUPPORT THE
PROPOSAL INTRODUCED BY
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT MIRELES
WHICH IS TO RAISE $5 MILLION TO
BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING, COVID-
19 RELIEF AND OTHER MEASURES.
I WANT THE COUNCIL TO SHOW SOME
POLITICAL COURAGE IN THE
MATTER.
I THINK IN AN ACT OF EXTREME
COWARDICE THEY BACKED OUT WHEN
AMAZON AND OTHER BUSINESSES
EXERTED PRESSURE ON THEM.
AFTER PASSING THE BILL, THEY
REPEALED IT A MONTH LATER
BECAUSE AMAZON THREATENED TO
PULL OUT OF THE CITY AND NOT
BEING CONTENT WITH THE, AMAZON
TRIED TO BUY THE NEXT SELECTION
BY FUNDING HUGE AMOUNTS OF
MONEY TO THE SEATTLE CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE.
THE PEOPLE ARE FED UP WITH
AMAZON A TIME FOR YOU FOLKS ON
THE COUNCIL TO SHOW SOME
COURAGE AND FUND THIS PROPOSAL.
SECONDLY I WANT YOU TO DEFUND
THE POLICE.
WHY DO YOU NEED TO SEND POLICE
WITH ARMS DRAWN TO TAKE CARE OF
SOMEBODY WHO HAS PSYCHIATRIC
PROBLEMS?
FUND SOCIAL WORKERS, COUNSELORS
AND THEY CAN PROVIDE RELIEF TO
PEOPLE WITH PEACEFUL MEANS.
>> THANK YOU, TYLER WILL FOLLOW
THESE SPEAKERS.
ARE YOU AVAILABLE?
>> WHY DON'T WE GO WITH TYLER.
GO AHEAD PLEASE.
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> IS THAT RYAN?
>> I'M SORRY, I AM HERE.
>> GO AHEAD.
>> HOLD ON.
LET ME RESTART YOUR TIME.
COULD YOU PLEASE START RYAN'S
TIME AGAIN?
GO AHEAD, RYAN.
>> THANK YOU.
HELLO EVERYBODY.
I HAVE LIVED IN SEATTLE THE
LAST SIX YEARS BUT MOVED TO
MINNEAPOLIS A MONTH AGO.
ON THAT BASIS I LIKE TO COMMENT
ON WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE
MINNEAPOLIS CITY COUNCIL.
UNFORTUNATELY I'VE LITTLE TRUST
IN THE MINNEAPOLIS COUNCIL TO
DISMANTLE AND FUND THE POLICE.
THEY VOTED TO FUND AND INCREASE
THE POLICE BUDGET SIX MONTHS
AGO AND THEIR BOLD WORDS HAVE
BEEN THE DECISIVE FACTOR THAT
HAS STOPPED THE PROTEST
MOVEMENT IN ITS TRACKS BECAUSE
MANY FEEL WE CAN SAY MISSION
ACCOMPLISHED.
BY CONTRAST IN SEATTLE THE
PROTEST CONTINUE LONGER IN THE
COUNCIL HAS A SOCIALIST MEMBER
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT WHO COULD
TALK A BIG DAY BUT ACCOMPLISH
LITTLE AND THE CONTEXT THE
COUNCIL HAS ALREADY VOTED
SIGNIFICANTLY LIMIT SBD'S
AVAILABLE WEAPONS AND SAWANT
HAS A PROPOSAL TO DEFUND THE
SBD BY HALF AND IN MINNEAPOLIS
WE HAVE A YEAR-LONG STUDY AND
HOW TO CREATE AN ALTERNATIVE TO
POLICE.
IS IT A TRIED AND TRUE METHOD
TO RESEARCH THE MOST EFFECTIVE
WAY TO PLEASE THE STATUS QUO
AND POLITICAL ESTABLISHMENT
WHILE THE MOVEMENT THAT FORCES
US -- TO PROTEST FOR CHANGE IN
PRESSURE EASES UP ON
POLITICIANS IN MINNEAPOLIS.
TIME WILL TELL BUT HISTORY --
>> LET'S TRY THIS AGAIN.
IS TYLER WITH US?
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS TYLER AND
I'M A POSTAL WORKER AND I LIVE
AND WORK IN SOUTH MINNEAPOLIS
AND WANT TO COMMENT IN REGARDS
TO THE STUDY IN MINNEAPOLIS
CITY COUNCIL COMMISSION ON
POLICE VIOLENCE AND
RESTRUCTURING THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT.
A FEW YEARS AGO THE CITY
COUNCIL COMMISSIONS A STUDY ON
úRAISING MINIMUM WAGE AND I WAS
A MINI MAGE WORKER AT JIMMIE
JOHNSON I WAS IN THE LAWSUIT
WHEN THEY VOTED TO REMAIN ON
THE BALLOT AND THAT STUDY THEY
COMMISSIONED CAME BACK
OVERWHELMINGLY IN SUPPORT OF
RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE AND
CITY COUNCIL IGNORED IT.
TO MOVEMENT AND I'M JUST SAYING
I HAVE NO CONFIDENCE IN THE
STUDY THAT MINNEAPOLIS CITY
COUNCIL COMMISSION IS FOR
ANYTHING OTHER THAN CONVERT
ENERGY FROM THE MOVEMENT INTO
THE POLITICAL ESTABLISHMENT.
IF THE CITY COUNCIL OF
MINNEAPOLIS IS SERIOUS ABOUT
BUILDING THIS THEY SHOULD LEAD
AT A MINIMUM AND FOLLOW THE
LEADER THE MOVEMENT AND SAWANT
IN SEATTLE AND THEN BANNED
WEAPONS USED BY POLICE AGAINST
PROTESTERS.
>> OKAY.
CASSONDRA FOLLOWED BY ALEX AND
THEN [NAME INDISCERNIBLE].
WELCOME, CASSONDRA.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON,
COUNCILMEMBERS.
MY NAME IS CASSONDRA AND I AM
AN EMPLOYEE OF LOW INCOME
HOUSING AND A FORMER RESIDENT
OF CAMP SECOND TINY HOUSE
VILLAGE.
I WANTED TO BASICALLY GIVE AN
UPDATE ON THE SUCCESS STORY OF
THE TINY HOUSE VILLAGES.
I WAS A HOMELESS SINGLE WOMAN
AND SOUGHT SHELTER THROUGH THE
TINY HOUSE VILLAGE AND WITHIN
10 MONTHS I NOT ONLY WAS
EMPLOYED BUT I ALSO HAVE
PERMANENT HOUSING.
I REALLY WOULD APPRECIATE MORE
FUNDING FOR THE TINY HOUSE
VILLAGE PROGRAM BECAUSE THEY
REALLY DO WORK AND I AM PROOF
OF THAT AND THE SUCCESS OF THAT.
AND I KNOW COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT
HAS OFTEN HAD MANY PROGRAMS
THAT SHE HAS ALLOCATED FOR AND
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE
DEFUNDING OF THE POLICE AND
MORE MONEY FOR THE TINY HOUSE
VILLAGE PROGRAM.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, ALEX?
>> FOLLOWED BY OTHERS.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON,
COUNCILMEMBERS.
MY NAME IS ALEX AND I LIVE IN
DISTRICT 3. I'M CALLING TO
EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR
DEFUNDING SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT AND MOVING THE MONEY
INTO HUMAN SERVICES TO ADDRESS
RACIAL INEQUITY AND THE IMPACT
OF COVID-19.
FACING A MELTDOWN EVEN MORE
SEVERE THAN THE RECESSION AND
LIKE THAT DISASTER WE SEE
IMPACT FALL HARDEST ON THOSE
WHO CAN LEAST AFFORD IT.
SBD BUDGET IS TWICE THE BUDGET
FOR ALL HUMAN SERVICES COMBINED
AND IT'S UNACCEPTABLE.
WE TALK ABOUT DEFUNDING THE
POLICE WE MEAN MORE THAN
REDUCING THE BUDGET.
I MEAN FUNDAMENTALLY
REIMAGINING HOW WE ADDRESS
SOCIAL PROMS LIKE MENTAL HEALTH
AND HOMELESSNESS. WE TALK ABOUT
SYSTEMIC RACISM, WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT A FEW RACIST COPS BUT A
SYSTEM DESIGNED TO PRODUCE
RACIST OUTCOMES.
UNTIL WE ADDRESS QUESTIONS OF
POLICY AND POWER INSTEAD OF
INDIVIDUAL BAD APPLES WE WON'T
MAKE DENTS IN THE OUTCOMES.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
NEXT?
>> I AM IN THE COALITION OF
SEATTLE IN AMERICANS TODAY IN
OUR COMMUNITY STRONGLY SUPPORTS
AND FOLLOWS THE LEAVES OF THE
BLACK LIES MATTER MOVEMENT AND
WE ARE DOUBLING DOWN ON OUR
EFFORT TO RAISE AWARENESS
WITHIN THE INDIAN COMMUNITY.
WE WANT SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL TO
LEGISLATED DEFUND SBD.
AS WE HAVE RECOUNTED THE
FAILURE OF THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT AND THE MAYOR, I
CALL ON THE COUNCILMEMBERS TO
DEFUND POLICE AND USE THE FUNDS
INSTEAD TO SERVE BLACK
COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN ON
THE RECEIVING END OF THE
VIOLENCE.
I ALSO CALL ON THEM TO RELEASE
THOSE TAKEN PRISONER DURING THE
PROTEST OR AFTER THE ESCALATION
BY THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT.
THESE ARE PEOPLE OF CONSCIENCE.
I FURTHER CALL ON THE
COUNCILMEMBERS TO REMOVE MAYOR
DURKAN.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS MARIA AND
I AM ALSO A MENTAL HEALTH
PROFESSIONAL WITH THE CRISIS
RESPONSE TEAM WITH THE SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT.
LAST YEAR I SAT IN BUDGET
HEARINGS TO HEAR YOU ALL
APPROVED THE MONEY THAT ALLOWED
US TO EXPAND THE PROGRAMS FROM
ONE MENTAL HEALTH NATIONAL TO 5
AND IT WAS A HUGE RELIEF TO ME
THAT YOU SAW THE NEED FOR OUR
PROGRAM.
I'M HERE TODAY TO SAY I FEEL WE
ARE VERY IMPORTANT AND WE WANT
TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY AS
MUCH AS WE POSSIBLY CAN, BUT WE
ALSO SEE A VALUE IN OUR
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT AS IT ALLOWS US TO
DO THINGS THAT I AS A SOCIAL
WORKER ALONE CAN'T DO AND
OFFICERS ALONE CANNOT DO.
WE VERY MUCH WANT TO SUPPORT
BLACK LIES MATTER AND PEOPLE OF
COLOR AND APPROVE
RELATIONSHIPS.
WE ARE READY AND WILLING TO
WORK TOWARD THAT PROCESS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND THANKS FOR THE WORK YOU DO
EVERY DAY.
DAN FOLLOWED BY KAMALA AND
DAVID.
>> HELLO.
CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES, THANKS, DAN.
>> I'M SORRY.
MY NAME IS DAN AND I'M SPEAKING
TO YOU AS THE SEATTLE GOVERNOR
IN MY CAPACITY AS A HISTORIAN
SPECIALIZING IN THE STUDY OF
MASS INCARCERATION.
INWARDLY UNIVERSITY OF
WASHINGTON I'M SPEAKING IN A
PERSONAL CAPACITY AND NOTHING I
SAY REPRESENTS THE UNIVERSITY.
POLICE DEPARTMENTS HAVE GROWN
DRAMATICALLY NOT JUST IN
SEATTLE BUT AROUND THE COUNTRY
AND CENTRAL TO GROWTH HAVE BEEN
ATTEMPTS TO REFORM POLICE
BRUTALITY THROUGH MORE FUNDING
AND MORE -- DECADES OF EVIDENCE
SHOWING METROPOLITAN POLICE
DEPARTMENT'S -- SOCIAL WORKERS,
TRAFFIC PLANNERS AND CROWD
CONTROL AS OTHER CITIES ARE NOW
SHOWING, -- SUBDIVIDE HOUSING,
EDUCATIONAL EQUITY, EMPLOYMENT,
HEALTHCARE AND OTHER NECESSARY
ITEMS AND I HOPE THIS
CONSIDERATION IS HELPFUL.
THANK YOU.
>> IT IS HELPFUL.
THANK YOU. UMA?
>> HELLO?
CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES WE CAN HEAR YOU.
>> HELLO.
THANK YOU.
MY NAME IS UMA AND I'M NOT
REPRESENTING THE BOARD OR
COMPANY AND REPRESENTED THE
COALITION OF SEATTLE INDIAN
AMERICANS TODAY.
THE COMMUNITY STRONGLY SUPPORTS
AND FOLLOWS THE LEAD OF THE BLM
MOVEMENT.
WE OUGHT SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL
TO URGENTLY LEGISLATED DEFUND
SBD BY 50% AS PROPOSED BY
COUNCILWOMAN SAWANT.
ABOUT 35 INDIVIDUALS HAVE -- TO
DEFUND SBD.
OVER 80% OF THE DEMOCRATS VOTED
LAST TIME TO DEFUND SBD,
SPECIFICALLY -- COMMUNITY
CONTROL AND ELECT COMMUNITY
HEALTH AND SAFETY AND DON'T
PROSECUTE PROTECTORS AND REMOVE
MAYOR DURKAN AND FOLLOW THE
LEAD OF THE KING COUNTY
COALITION.
-- BLACK LIVES AND -- OPPOSING
POLICE AND -- BLACK LIES
MATTER.
THANK YOU.
>> DAVID?
>> GOOD AFTERNOON CITY COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS DAVID AND I AM A
BUSINESS OWNER AND RESIDENT OF
DISTRICT 7. I'M CALLING TODAY
TO SUPPORT THE DEFUNDING OF
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND
-- PROPOSED.
WHEN I LOOK AT THE PROPOSED
2020 BUDGET I AM DISGUSTED BY
THE AMOUNT BEING GIVEN TO THE
POLICE AT THE EXPENSE OF HOUSING
, EDUCATION, AND THE ENVIRONMENT
, ESPECIALLY GIVEN HOW WE LIKE
TO PRIDE OURSELVES IN SEATTLE
AS BEING PROGRESSIVE COMMUNITY.
OUR BUDGET IS TOTALLY -- EMPTY
PLATITUDES.
UNTIL WE HAVE A BUDGET THAT
REQUIRES VALUES OF THE
COMMUNITY WE WON'T BE ABLE TO
MOVE FORWARD.
THE BUDGET OF SBD HAS INCREASED
OVER 36% IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS
AND THIS HAS BEEN INEQUALITIES
WE SEEN AND LET'S BE CLEAR THE
POLICE DO NOT -- A BAND-AID ON
THE PROBLEM AND WE WILL
ENDLESSLY THROW MONEY INTO WE
HAVE THE COURAGE TO TACKLE THE
DIFFICULT PROBLEMS BY PUTTING
MONEY INTO OUR COMMUNITIES
INSTEAD OF VIOLENT POLICE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
GINGER FOLLOWED BY JUSTIN AND
ELIZABETH.
GINGER, ARE YOU WITH US?
>> YES.
HELLO.
THE FIGHT TO FUND EMERGENCY
RESPONSE BY DEFUNDING POLICE IS
A NATIONAL ONE IN THE MOVEMENT
IS A HUGE VICTORY WITH THE
CHEMICAL WEAPONS BAN.
I SUPPORT THAT SEATTLE CITY
COUNCIL FOLLOW COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT CONCRETE PLANS FOR
RACIAL JUSTICE INCLUDING AN
INITIATIVE TO PASS THE RICH AND
INVEST IN GREEN JOBS, SOCIAL
PROGRAMS, PUBLIC EDUCATION AND
AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
CUT POLICE BUDGET BY AT LEAST
HALF DEFUND ALTERNATIVE
RESPONSE METHODS BY WELL-PAID
WORKERS WITH THE UNION.
MOBILIZATION BY COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATIONS, MONEY HAS BEEN
SHIFTED TO RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
AND THEN THE ESTABLISHMENT
UNITES AND THEY RAISE THE
POLICE BUDGET.
HOW STRONG CAN THE POLITICAL
AGREEMENT BE NOW?
WE CAN'T HAVE FAITH IN THE
POLITICAL ESTABLISHMENT THAT
GOT US HERE TO SOLVE THE
PROBLEM IN THE STRUGGLE WILL BE
WON THROUGH ACTION.
WE NEED A COMMUNITY LED TOP TO
BOTTOM SCOURGE OF POLICE
DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY
NOSE VIOLET SHOULD BE
IMMEDIATELY FIRED BY DEMOCRATIC
COMMUNITY OVERSIGHT BOARD.
SOLIDARITY FOR MINNEAPOLIS TO
SEATTLE IN THE STRUGGLE.
>> JUSTIN AND THEN ELIZABETH.
JUSTIN?
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS JUSTIN AND I AM A
DISTRICT 2 RESIDENT AND AMAZON
WORKER.
FIRST OFF I'M ACTING IN SUPPORT
THE DEMANDS OF DECRIMINALIZE
SEATTLE BY DEFUNDING SBD BY 50%
AND REFUNDING THE MONEY BACK TO
BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES.
THIS WOULD REDUCE POLICE
VIOLENCE AGAINST THOSE
COMMUNITIES AND PREVENT
AUSTERITY DURING THE ECONOMIC
CRISIS.
AND AGAIN I AM AN AMAZON TECH
WORKER AND SUPPORT THE SAWANT
AND MORALES BILL AND IT GOES
BIGGER AND BUILDS MORE HOUSING
AND AMAZON STOCK IS AT $2600 A
SHARE AND UP 600% IN THE PAST
FIVE YEARS.
I HAVE SEEN AND WATCH THE STOCK
LIKE A HAWK AND WHILE AMAZON IS
MAKING ALL THIS MONEY THEY ARE
CONTRIBUTING TO GENTRIFICATION
AND PEOPLE ARE PUSHED OUT OF
THEIR HOMES AND THAT IS NOT
RIGHT.
WE NEED TO TAX AMAZON.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
THE NEXT PERSON IS ELIZABETH.
>> I'M IN SUPPORT OF --
LEGISLATION AND -- BY 50% AND
COMMUNITY MEMBER DISTRICT 4 WE
WANT TO KEEP SAYING BLACK LIES
MATTER AND WE NEED TO TAKE
ACTION IN EXPEDITED MEASURES TO
BREAK THE RACES PATTERN IN THE
CITY WHICH INCLUDES HOLDING BIG
BUSINESS AND POLICE ACCOUNTABLE
AND HOW THEY TAKE UP SPACE.
WE ARE LOSING MORE MORE BLACK
LIVES IN THE CITY BECAUSE OF
POLICE BRUTALITY,
INCARCERATION, DENSIFICATION
AND HOMELESSNESS ALL OF WHICH
BUSINESS AND POLICE PERPETUATE.
THE ECONOMY AND CULTURE COACH
MACK MARGINALIZE LIVES AND BIG
BUSINESS RELIES ON
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE PAID FOR
, OUR COMMUNITY RESOURCES AND --
BLACK, BROWN AND MARGINALIZED
COMMUNITIES DO.
REALLOCATING 50% OF THE POLICE
BUDGET -- MARGINALIZED LIVES
WHO HAVE BEEN TAX 100% WITH NO
RETURNS FOR GENERATIONS IS AGAIN
THE LEAST WE CAN DO.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
DANIEL?
>> I AM A VOLUNTEER AND A
MEMBER OF SOCIALIST ALTERNATIVE
AND DOING A CALL TO SBD BY AT
LEAST 50% AND I'LL MAKE MY CASE
HOW IT IS INEXTRICABLY TIED TO
THE TAXES TO FUND THINGS LIKE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND PUBLIC
SCHOOLS.
THE CENTRAL DISTRICT IS 72%
BLACK HOUSEHOLD IN THE 70s AND
NOW 18% AND HAPPENED DUE TO THE
IMPLICIT US GENTRIFICATION.
THE HOUSING MARKET IS ONE OF
THE BIGGEST PERPETRATORS OF
VIOLENCE HE IS BLACK AND BROWN
AMERICANS BECAUSE IT RAVAGES
NEIGHBORHOODS AND PUTS PEOPLE
ON THE STREET WHERE THEY ARE
CRIMINALIZED FOR PROPERTY AND
BRUTALIZED BY COPS.
THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF ARMED
LAW ENFORCEMENT IS NOT TO
PROTECT AND SERVE BUT SWEEP
HOMELESS AND CANDIDATES, COST
RIGHTS AND BRUTALIZED
PROTESTERS AND TRAMPLE ON AND
DISCIPLINE THOSE WHO ORGANIZE
AND TAKE ACTION IN RESPONSE TO
CONDITION.
DEFUNDING THE POLICE IS A NOT
ABOUT DRINKING THE BUDGET BUT
REDIRECTING TAX DOLLARS TO BE
USED FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED THEM
AND ACTUALLY GENERATE THEM.
REINVEST IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME
TODAY.
WE OF TWO MORE PEOPLE WE HAVE
TIME FOR AND THEN WE ARE
SWITCHING OVER AND COLLEAGUES
APOLOGIES FOR THE DELAY.
WE TOOK PUBLIC COMMENT THIS
MORNING FOR 45 MINUTES AND 35
THIS AFTERNOON.
THE NEXT TWO SPEAKERS ARE TODD
AND THEN ASKED HIM.
TODD, THANK YOU.
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS TODD FROM
DISTRICT 6. I LIKE TO ADDRESS
THE COUNCIL AND ASK WHY THEY
HAVEN'T DISQUALIFIED OR REMOVED
ONE OF THEIR MEMBERS?
CIVIL UNREST THAT THE C.H.A.Z.
HAS CREATED CERTAIN FOR ALL TO
SEE ON TWITTER . WHO IS LEADING
AND INSTRUCTING THEM ON NEXT
STEPS TO TAKE OVER THE CITY AND
I MAY SAY THE COUNTRY.
C.H.A.Z.
BEING A SOVEREIGN NATION AND
THEY HAVE SEPARATED THEMSELVES
FROM ORDER WITH CITY SERVICE
PROVIDE AND HAVE PROTECTED OUR
MILITIA AND WE KNOW WHO THEIR
LEADER IS.
WHAT PERTAINS TO VIOLENCE IN
THE CITY, THERE IS A VIDEO
SHOWING A CITY COUNCILWOMAN AT
THE FRONTLINE OF THE PROTEST
SCREAMING AT CITY POLICE
OFFICERS TO USE THEIR WEAPONS
TO BLOW THEIR BRAINS OUT.
HER LACK OF RESPECT FOR HER
FELLOW COLLEAGUES, THE MAYOR,
POLICE CHIEF, OUR STATE AND
NATION LEADERSHIP, SHE IS NOT
FIT FOR LEADERSHIP IN THE
OFFICE.
WHERE PERTAIN TO THE DEFINITION
OF TREASON IT IS TRUE THAT --
>> AND OUR LAST SPEAKER IS
ASPEN.
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS ASPEN AND
I'M A CONSTITUENT OF DISTRICT 5
IN A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER IN
SEATTLE.
I WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT
BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THE
COMMITTEE IS DISCUSSING
DEFUNDING SBD AND I WANT TO SEE
THESE CHANGES HAPPEN.
RATHER THAN MAKE BIG PROMISES
WE WANT TO SEE A MINIMUM OF 50%
OF THE SBD BUDGET DIVERTED TO
OTHER CATEGORIES ON FUNDING
EDUCATION, MENTAL HEALTH AND
ADDICTION TREATMENT AND HOUSING.
WE DO NOT WANT TO SEE THE SBD
PERFORMED OR JUST REIMAGINED.
WE DON'T FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO
DO A STUDY.
WE NEED CHANGES IMMEDIATELY.
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY AS NICE AS
IT IS YOU ARE HEARING FROM
CITIES, WE ARE AT THE
PROGRESSIVE FOREFRONT AND WE
CAN DO THAT NOW TOO.
I FEEL IT'S NECESSARY TO SEE
THE DEFUNDING AND I ALSO WOULD
LIKE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF
SAWANT AND MORALES WITH THE
AMAZON BILL.
>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR PUBLIC
TESTIMONY TODAY.
THANKS EVERYBODY FOR YOUR TIME.
WE HAVE AN EXCITING PANEL OF
FOLKS HERE WITH US TODAY TO
SHARE THEIR FEEDBACK. I KNOW
COUNCIL COLLEGUES THAT HAS BEEN
RESOUNDINGLY SAID BY OUR
COUNCIL HERE IN SEATTLE CITY
COUNCIL THAT WE ARE PREPARED
TO RESPOND, PREPARED TO RESPOND
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT
ARE BLACK-CLAD AND LEADERS
AROUND THE NATION TO ADOPT
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES,
REDUCED BUDGETS TO TRANSFORM
OUR SYSTEM, TRANSFORM THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT, TRANSFORM
COMMITMENTS SO WE CAN ACTUALLY
INVEST IN AND TRULY SERVE AND
PROTECT ALL RESIDENTS.
THIS ACTION CALLS FOR RADICAL
CHANGE.
WE DON'T NEED ANY MORE DATA ON
COSTLY REPORTS BECAUSE WE KNOW
WHAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS AND
WANT TO TAKE BOLD ACTION ROOTED
IN REQUEST OF DEMANDS
IDENTIFIED BY BLACK-CLAD
ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES
OF COLOR.
I'M GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE MEMBERS
THAT THE COUNCIL HAS EXPRESSED
SUPPORT FOR THE BUDGET AND
POSITION WE LAUNCHED LAST WEEK
AND MAKE SURE WE INVEST IN OUR
COMMUNITY SAFELY AND STABLY.
WE HAVE TWO PANELS TODAY AND
THE FIRST IS MADE UP OF ELECTED
OFFICIALS FROM VARIOUS PLACES
AROUND THE COUNTRY. I AM
EXCITED TO HAVE THEM HERE AND
THEY WILL SHARE WHAT THEIR
CITIES ARE WORKING ON AND THE
PROCESS AND I WILL UNDERSCORE
WHAT WAS SAID BEFORE THAT
NOBODY IS QUITE GET DONE EXACTLY
WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS CALLING
FOR, BUT THERE ARE PROCESSES IN
PLACE AND STRATEGIES BEING
DISCUSSED NOW TO DEMAND ACTION.
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT
PRESENTATION WE HAVE AFTER BY
ANDREA RITCHIE WHO WILL SHARE
RESEARCH AND EXPERTISE ON HOW
BUDGETS CAN BE USED TO FUEL
ALTERNATIVE MODELS OF PUBLIC
SAFETY.
COLLEAGUES, GOOD TO SEE MANY OF
YOU. FOLKS PROBABLY DON'T NEED
INTRODUCTION BUT FOR THE
VIEWING AUDIENCE WHO MIGHT NOT
HAVE THE CHANCE TO SEE THESE
LEADERS IN ACTION, AS I TRAVEL
THE COUNTRY AND MET WITH OTHER
COUNCILMEMBERS IT'S A LINEUP OF
PROGRESSIVE LEADERS WHO ARE
HELPING LEAD THE CHANGE FROM
EVERYTHING FROM ECONOMIC
JUSTICE TO RACIAL JUSTICE
ISSUES AND GENDER JUSTICE AND
TRANSFORMING LOCAL ECONOMIES.
WE WILL FIRST HEAR FROM
JEREMIAH ELLISON FROM
MINNEAPOLIS CITY COUNCILMEMBER
AND THAT BRAD LANDER FROM NEW
YORK CITY'S CITY COUNCILMEMBER
AND THE GREGORIO FROM AUSTIN
CITY COUNCIL AND THEN TRACY
FROM THE SAN FRANCISCO
SUPERVISOR'S OFFICE WITH JOHN
WALTON. WE ARE EXCITED TO HAVE
ALL OF YOU HERE AND I JUST WANT
TO NOTE WE HAVE HER COLLEAGUES
LINED UP AND I KNOW YOU PROBABLY
ARE ON TIGHT TIME FRAMES SO LET
ME TURN IT OVER TO COUNCILMEMBER
ELLISON FROM YOUR COMPLIMENTS
FROM OUR MINNEAPOLIS.
THANKS FOR WHAT YOU ARE DOING A
GREAT TO SEE YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
I APPRECIATE IT.
I'LL TRY TO KEEP IT SHORT AND
OF FOLKS HAVE QUESTIONS I'M
HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS WHEN
THE PANEL HAS HAD A CHANCE.
IN MINNEAPOLIS, IT IS SORT OF
WHERE I THINK THE START OF THIS
CURRENT PHASE OF UNREST HAS
STARTED, BUT OBVIOUSLY THIS HAS
BEEN GOING ON ACROSS THE ENTIRE
COUNTRY AND NEARLY EVERY MAJOR
CITY IN AMERICA HAS BEEN
DEALING WITH ISSUES AROUND
VIOLENCE AND OVERALL, ON BEHALF
OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENTS WE
KEEP OUR COMMUNITIES SAFE IN
THE MINNEAPOLIS WE STARTED
THESE CONVERSATIONS WELL BEFORE
THIS INCIDENT.
THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE WHAT
GOT US THE SMALL MEASURES LIKE
FUNDING EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAMS
THAT REALLY DO WORK, BUT WE
HAVE NEVER INSTITUTED THEM IN A
WAY THAT WAS IMPORTANT SO I
WANT TO GIVE A QUICK NOD TO
SOME OF THE THINGS WE HAVE BEEN
DOING. AT THE COUNTY LEVEL,
THERE IS A MENTAL HEALTH
RESPONSE TEAM THAT GOES OUT TO
CALLS UNARMED TO MENTAL HEALTH
CRISES.
AT THE CITY LEVEL, WE STARTED A
CO-RESPONDER TEAM IN
CONJUNCTION WITH THE COUNTY
WHERE WE HAVE AN OFFICER A
MENTAL HEALTH SPECIALIST, NOT
IDEAL BUT HAS BEEN GREAT FOR DE-
ESCALATION AND IS BETTER THAN
JUST POLICE HANDLING THOSE
CALLS ON THEIR OWN.
SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT HAVE
BEEN EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL ARE
OUR GBI PROGRAM KNOWN AS OUR
GROUP VIOLENCE INTERVENTION
PROGRAM.
IT AIMS TO GIVE FOLKS WHO ARE
IN THE GANG INVOLVED LIFESTYLE
AND HELP TRANSITION OUT OF THE
LIFESTYLE.
IT HAS BEEN MORE SUCCESSFUL
THAN ANY OTHER PROGRAM AND
CERTAINLY MORE SUCCESSFUL THAN
A PUNITIVE SYSTEM. AND IT'S
UNDERFUNDED.
AND THE LAST THING I WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT BUT BY NO MEANS THE
LAST PROGRAM I COULD HIGHLIGHT
AS OUR HOSPITAL-BASED VIOLENCE
INTERVENTION WHICH IS WHEN
GUNSHOT VICTIMS ARRIVE AT THE
HOSPITAL, WE MEET THEM THERE
AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT
REASONS WERE YOU SHOT AND HOW
CAN WE MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T
HAPPEN AGAIN?
THESE ARE THINGS WE NEED TO
INVEST IN AND MORE IMPORTANTLY,
I THINK OUR NEXT PHASE IS TO
NOT ONLY BUILD THOSE PROGRAMS
UP BUT TO DO COMMUNITY OUTREACH
, TO ENGAGE WITH OUR
CONSTITUENTS AND UNDERSTAND
WHAT WAYS WE EXPECT TO BE SAFE
AND HOW WE CREATE SYSTEMS THAT
KEEP YOU SAFE AND THAT WAY?
ABOUT A WEEK AGO, WHEN WE
PASSED THE RESOLUTION THAT WAS
PASSED UNANIMOUS AND ANYONE WHO
KNOWS CITY COUNCIL BULLETS
UNTHINKABLE WE WOULD HAVE A
UNANIMOUS VOTE TO DRAMATICALLY
RETHINK PUBLIC SAFETY IN OUR
CITY, BUT I THINK EVERY
COUNCILMEMBER HAS WOKEN UP TO
THIS.
OUR NEXT STEP WHICH I HOPE WILL
ALSO PASS UNANIMOUSLY IS TO
CHANGE OUR CITY CHARTER. IN THE
CHARTER, WE HAVE MANDATED THAT
WE HAVE A POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WE ARE LOOKING TO CHANGE THAT
TO HAVE A DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC
SAFETY. IF THE COMMUNITY
CHOOSES TO KEEP POLICE, THEY
CAN EXIST WITHIN THAT, BUT THIS
ALLOWS US TO EXPAND WHAT PUBLIC
SAFETY MEANS BECAUSE NOW THE
POLICE HAVE A MONOPOLY ON SAFETY
WHICH HAS NOT BEEN WORKING.
I BELIEVE IT THERE.
FOR THE SAKE OF NOT GOING ON
LONG BUT HAPPY TO ANSWER
QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR
BEING WITH US FROM MINNEAPOLIS.
WE APPRECIATE IT AND I KNOW
THERE WILL BE QUESTIONS.
I WILL GET THROUGH THE FIRST
PANEL AND THEN WE WILL TURN IT
OVER TO COLLEAGUES TO DO A CALL
TO SEE IF FOLKS HAVE QUESTIONS
AT THAT TIME.
THANK YOU FOR THE INSPIRATION
NOT ONLY IN TERMS OF YOUR
ACTION BUT IN TERMS OF WHAT THE
COMMUNITY HAS BEEN DOING IN THE
STREET EVERY DAY AND DEMANDING
ACTION HAS SPURRED ACTION
ACROSS THE GLOBE. I AM
INCREDIBLY HONORED TO HAVE YOU
WITH US TODAY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BRAD
LANDER, COUNCILMEMBER FROM NEW
YORK CITY SPEAKING OF POLICE
VIOLENCE AND WE HAVE SEEN
VIDEOS FROM NEW YORK AND
LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING ON
THE GROUND UPDATE FROM YOU IN
NEW YORK CITY.
THANK YOU.
>> YOU MAY BE ON MUTE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH,
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA.
IT'S AN HONOR TO FOLLOW UP
COUNCILMEMBER ELLISON AND THE
WORK YOU LEAD IN MINNEAPOLIS TO
THINK ABOUT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
TO DISMANTLE THE MODEL OF
POLICING AND SYSTEMIC RACISM IT
HAS BROUGHT SO MANY YEARS AND
REIMAGINE WHAT PUBLIC SAFETY
COULD LOOK LIKE. WE ARE TRYING
TO FOLLOW YOUR LEAD IN NEW YORK
CITY BUT UNFORTUNATELY EVEN
THOUGH THE CURRENT CRISIS IN A
CERTAIN WAY SPARKS BEGAN IN
MINNEAPOLIS, THE FIRST PERSON
IN MY MEMORY THAT WAS CHOKED TO
DEATH SAYING I CAN'T BREATHE
OVER AND OVER AGAIN WAS RIGHT
HERE IN NEW YORK CITY AND THAT
WAS ERIC GARNER WHOSE KILLER
REMAINED ON OUR POLICE FORCE
FOR 5 YEARS. THE OFFICERS WHO
STOOD BY WHILE THAT HAPPENED
AND SUBSEQUENTLY LIED ABOUT IT
IN TESTIMONY ARE STILL ON OUR
POLICE FORCE.
WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO
PRODUCE JUSTICE FOR COUNTLESS
INDIVIDUALS AND COUNCILMEMBER
ELLISON TALKED SPECIFICALLY
ABOUT RESPONDING INDIVIDUALS IN
EMOTIONAL DISTRESS AND THE
NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS IN
EMOTIONAL DISTRESS IN NEW YORK
CITY KILLED BY THE OFFICERS
RESPONDING WHEN SOMEONE CALLED,
MOHAMMED'S MOTHER CALLED 911
AND SAID I NEED AN AMBULANCE.
MY SON IS SICK.
WHEN COPS ARRIVED AT HER DOOR,
SHE SAID I DIDN'T CALL COPS, I
CALLED AN AMBULANCE, GO AWAY
AND BRING AN AMBULANCE.
THE COPS BROKE DOWN THEIR DOOR
AND KILLED HER SON.
THIS NEED FOR TRANSFORMATION IN
POLICING HAS BEEN CLEAR ALL
ALONG AND WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE
TO RISE TO IT UNTIL NOW IS
SOMETHING THAT IS ON ALL OF US.
ALSO AS COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA
MENTIONED, THEN THE RESPONSE TO
PASSIONATE PROTEST IN RESPONSE
TO ABUSIVE POLICING WAS MORE
ABUSIVE POLICING. WE SAW LOTS
OF PEOPLE ON THE STREETS OF OUR
CITY WHO WERE JUST OUT
PEACEFULLY PROTESTING AND I WAS
OUT WITH THEM A LOT OF NIGHTS
WITH UNPROVOKED VIOLENCE.
WE ARE TRYING HARD HOW TO
FIGURE OUT HOW TO RESPOND.
WE HAVE MAYBE A SHORTER TERM
AND LONGER TERM BECAUSE OUR
BUDGET IS DUE NEXT WEEK.
THE LONGER-TERM WORK THAT THE
COUNCILMEMBER SPOKE TO, WE HAVE
TO PICK UP AND THINK ABOUT SORT
OF THIS BROADER WORK TO
REIMAGINE HOW WE ACHIEVE PUBLIC
SAFETY.
BY NEXT WEEK WE HAVE TO DELIVER
A BUDGET. WHEN THE MAYOR
PROPOSED THE EXECUTIVE BUDGET
AFTER THE COVID CRISIS, HE
PROPOSED A HIRING FREEZE ON
TEACHERS AND MENTAL HEALTH
COUNSELORS AND SOCIAL WORKERS
AND PARTS WORKERS THAT COST
HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS TO ALL OF
OUR YOUTH PROGRAMS AND HUNDREDS
OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN THE
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION BUT
ONLY $9 MILLION, A CUT OF LESS
THAN 1% TO NYPD.
SO COUNCIL HAS BEEN TRYING TO
BE RESPONSIVE AND ADVOCATES
HAVE BEEN PUSHING BUT NOW THAT
THE COUNCIL IS ON BOARD PUSHING
FOR A CUT OF $1 BILLION TO THE
NYPD AND I KNOW THAT'S BIGGER
THAN SOME CITY BUDGETS, BUT THE
NYPD BUDGET IS $6 BILLION.
IT'S A SIZABLE CUT, BUT IT'S
ABOUT 1/6 OF THAT BUDGET.
I WILL GO THROUGH IT IN ALL
DETAIL BUT BEGINS WITH A HIRING
FREEZE.
WE HIRE IF WE DON'T DO THAT --
THE MAYOR PROPOSES TO HIRE 2300
NEW OFFICERS THROUGH ATTRITION
NEXT YEAR, 6% OF THE FORCE.
BEGINS WITH A HIRING FREEZE AND
MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF OVERTIME
SPENT ON THINGS LIKE PROTEST
POLICING AND MANY OTHER THINGS
LIKE THAT.
GETTING NYPD OFFICERS OUT OF
OUR SCHOOLS.
STARTING TO MOVE THEM OUT OF
MENTAL HEALTH RESPONSE.
I COULD GO INTO MORE DETAIL IF
PEOPLE WANT THE DETAILS OF
WHERE ADVOCATES ARE PROPOSING
THOSE CUTS, WHERE THE COUNCIL
IS STARTING TO DIG IN, THOSE
NEGOTIATIONS TAKE PLACE OVER
THE NEXT WEEK AND THE MAYOR HAS
INDICATED HE IS OPEN TO SOME
CUTS, BUT HAS SAID HE'S NOT
GOING TO SUPPORT A BILL.
HOW THOSE NEGOTIATIONS TAKE
PLACE AND HOW THAT COUNCIL CAN
LAND THIS IN A WAY, AND THEN I
WILL ADD THE POINT THAT WHAT
EVERYONE WANTS IS TO TAKE CUTS
WE MAKE FROM THE NYPD AND PUT
THEM INTO EDUCATION AND
COMMUNITY SAFETY AND YOUTH WITH
THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE A
$9 MILLION SHORTFALL IN REVENUE
AS A RESULT OF THE ECONOMIC
CRISIS FROM COVID.
JUST HOW MUCH WE CAN PULL FROM
THOSE SAVINGS AND PUT INTO
BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES AND
INTO THE SERVICES WE NEED AND
HOW MUCH WINDS UP GOING TO
COVER THIS MASSIVE DEFICIT WE
ARE FACING IN THE ABSENCE OF
FEDERAL RESOURCES JUST TO PAY
BILLS IS ONE MORE CHALLENGE WE
ARE FACING.
WE HAVE A BUSY WEEK AHEAD OF US
OBVIOUSLY AND GLAD TO HEAR
WHAT'S GOING ON IN OTHER CITIES
AS WE TRY TO GET IT DONE.
THANK YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LANDER FROM
NEW YORK CITY, THANK YOU FOR
THAT AND WE WILL BE INTERESTED
IN HOW THE NECK WEEK
NEGOTIATION AMONG
COUNCILMEMBERS PULLING FROM
IMMUNITY LEAD DEMANDS PLAYS OUT
BECAUSE WE ARE IN THE SAME
SITUATION WITH PUTTING OUR
BUDGET TOGETHER IN THE NEXT FEW
WEEKS TO RESPOND TO COVID AND
RESPOND TO CUTS.
THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT.
WE WILL HOLD QUESTIONS BECAUSE
I'M SURE THERE ARE A FEW BUT
NEXT WE GO TO GREGORIO WHO IS
THE COUNCILMEMBER FROM AUSTIN
CITY AND THANK YOU
COUNCILMEMBER FOR BEING WITH
US.
>> THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR
HAVING ME AND HAVING THIS
CONVERSATION. WE'RE HAVING
THESE CONVERSATIONS CITY BY
CITY.
OUR CITY COUNCIL LAST WEEK TOOK
STEPS SIMILAR TO MANY OF YOU ALL
BY BANNING TEAR GAS AND CHOKE
HOLDS AND SONIC WEAPONS AND ALL
THESE THINGS WE HAVE SEEN USED
AGAINST COMMUNITIES OF COLOR
FOR SO LONG AND MOST RECENTLY
AGAINST COMMUNITY MEMBERS OF
COLOR PROTESTING POLICE
VIOLENCE.
WE ALSO TOOK A VOTE IN
SOLIDARITY WITH OUR ACTIVIST
COMMUNITY HERE ABOUT OUR
UPCOMING CITY BUDGET.
WE CANNOT LEGALLY PASS A BUDGET
UNTIL LATER IN THE SUMMER, IN
JULY OR AUGUST, BUT THE
COMMUNITY DEMAND WAS $100
MILLION AND OUR POLICE BUDGET
IS $400 MILLION PER YEAR.
WE HAVE A SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT
WHERE THE CITY MANAGEMENT
PRESENTS A BUDGET AND COUNCIL
AND MAYOR APPROVE IT.
THE CITY MANAGER ANNOUNCED THIS
AFTERNOON THAT AT A MINIMUM
THERE'S A REDUCTION IN 100
POLICE OFFICER POSITIONS ALONG
WITH NO ADDITIONAL HIRING, BUT
THERE ARE AT LEAST 200 OPEN
POSITIONS.
SO OUR COUNCIL AND A LOT OF
THE DYNAMIC IS IN THE 100 TO
200 OFFICER RANGE WHICH IS
BETWEEN 5% TO 10% OF THE POLICE
OFFICER POSITIONS AND OUR CITY
TO BE NOT ONLY FOR REDUCTION IN
POLICING BUT ALSO TO MOVE THE
MONEY OVER TO THE KINDS OF
COMMUNITY STRATEGIES THAT WERE
ARTICULATED BY COUNCILMEMBER
LANDER AND COUNCILMEMBER
ELLISON.
SO WE ARE WORKING ON THOSE SAME
ISSUES.
WE SEE THAT THE MOST PREVALENT
FORM OF VIOLENT CRIME IN OUR
CITY IS FAMILY VIOLENCE.
THERE IS ALSO A REAL FOCUS IN
OUR CITY TO RECOGNIZE THAT NO
MATTER HOW MUCH YOU CONTROL A
STREET, THERE IS NO ADDRESSIN
WHAT IS HAPPENING INSIDE THE
HOMES UNLESS WE PROVIDE OTHER
FORMS OF ECONOMIC REPORT AND
SAFETY AND SHELTER FOR PEOPLE.
SO ALSO ADDRESSING MENTAL HEALTH
AND ADDICTION WITH TREATMENT
AND HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING
ARE A MAJOR FOCUS ON THAT AND
APART FROM THE PATROL FUNCTIONS
SHOULD NOT SIT IN THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT.
WE ARE IN A CITY WHERE THE
FORENSIC LAB IS IN THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT AND THERE'S A
CONFLICT OF INTEREST ASSOCIATED
WITH THAT.
SHOULD OUR CADET TRAINING AND
ACADEMY EVEN FUNCTION WITHIN
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OR SHOULD
IT BE SEPARATE?
SHOULD 911 DISPATCH EVEN BE IN
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT?
THERE ARE OTHER FUNCTIONS THAT
WE ARE PLANNING ON LOOKING AT
TO SEE WHAT WE CAN MOVE OVER AS
EARLY AS THIS YEAR.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
COUNCILMEMBER.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HEARD
YOU CLEARLY, YOUR BUDGET IS
$400 MILLION?
>> THE CITY BUDGET IS IN THE
BILLIONS, BUT THE POLICE BUDGET
IS $400 MILLION A YEAR.
>> THAT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE
OURS IS EXACTLY THE AMOUNT TOO.
IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE
WHILE WE CAN PULL.
WE HAVE A GREAT PRESENTER WITH
US IN TRACY, THANK YOU FOR
BEING WITH US.
IF YOU CAN TELL US ABOUT WHAT'S
HAPPENING IN SAN FRANCISCO. AND
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE ON
BEHALF OF YOUR COUNCILMEMBER
AND YOU JUST SHARED THE NEWS
RECENTLY A LOOK FORWARD TO
HEARING WHAT THEY ARE DOING.
THANK YOU, TRACY.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON AND THANK YOU.
SUPERVISOR WALTON CANNOT BE
HERE AND HE IS ON THE BUDGET
COMMITTEE AND THEY ARE
DISCUSSING THE POLICE BUDGET OF
COURSE RIGHT NOW.
AS WE MEET, FOR US IT STARTED
BACK IN MARCH 2019 WITH THE
ORDINANCE TO CLOSE DOWN THE
YOUTH GUIDANCE CENTER.
AND WENT NATIONAL AND WE
RECEIVED NATIONALATTENTION.
IN JULY 2019, WE STARTED TO
DISCUSS RESOLUTIONS CONDEMNING
THE INCREASE OF RACIAL PROFILING
FROM BUSINESSES IN THE
COMMUNITY AND WASTING OF POLICE
TOM, WE BEGAN TO CREATE
NEIGHBORHOOD LEAD SAFETY PLANS,
SO ALREADY PLANNING TO DIVERT
POLICE FUNDING TO NEIGHBORHOOD
EFFORTS OR HAVING COMMUNITIES
FIGURE OUT WHAT KIND OF SAFETY
PLAN AND WHAT KIND OF POLICE
INTERVENTIONS THAT THEY NEEDED.
RECENTLY WE ANNOUNCED THE
REDIRECTION OF RESOURCES OF THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THE AMOUNT
OF $100 MILLION. THEY
SPECIFICALLY SAID THE
REDIRECTION WOULD BE TO SUPPORT
THE BLACK COMMUNITY IN THE
UPCOMING BUDGET PROCESS.
SO WE HAD STARTED HAVING
MEETINGS AROUND REPARATIONS AND
WHAT THAT COULD LOOK LIKE. AS
YOU ALL KNOW PRIOR TO COVID,
SAN FRANCISCO WAS RESTARTS RICH
AND HE WANTED TO BE ABLE TO
LOOK AT REAL REPARATIONS FOR
AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITIES
AROUND HOUSING, EDUCATION,
HEALTH DISPARITIES AND
CONTINUED CRIMINALIZATION. IT
HAS COME BACK UP WITH ALL OF
THIS RECENT RISE OF INEQUITY
THAT OUR NATION IS HEARING.
SUPERVISOR WALTON INTRODUCED
THAT ALL RESIDENTS REGARDLESS
OF IMMIGRATION STATUS WOULD
PARTICIPATE IN COMMISSION AND
ADVISORY BOARDS AND LEADERSHIP
FUNCTIONS WITHIN THE CITY AND
COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO.
HE YESTERDAY INTRODUCED AN
ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE POLICE
CODE TO MAKE IT UNLAWFUL TO
CAUSE A PEACE OFFICER TO
CONTACT THE PERSON THEY HAVE A
DESIRE TO DISCRIMINATE THE
PERSON ON THE BASIS OF THEIR
RACE AND IF YOU READ THE
ORDINANCE FURTHER, IT TALKS
ABOUT WHAT THE FINE WOULD BE
FOR THOSE ACTUALLY MAKING
RACIST CALLS.
WE HAVE A HEARING COMING UP
REGARDING DISCRIMINATION
AGAINST BLACK EMPLOYEES FOR
DECADES AND WE HAVE RECOMMENDED
CHANGES TO OUR CIVIL SERVICE
CODE THAT WILL GO BEFORE THE
BALLOT.
FINALLY WE HAVE SHERIFF
OVERSIGHT THAT WILL GO TOWARD
THE BALLOT IN THIS COMING
ELECTION IN NOVEMBER.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS
SINCE HIS ELECTION LAST JANUARY
. WE WILL CONTINUE WORKING ON
THIS.
HE IS ON THE BUDGET COMMITTEE.
HE IS ASKING THAT ALL THREE
DEPARTMENTS COME UP ON PLANS ON
HOW THEY PLAN TO SERVICE THE
BLACK COMMUNITY.
WE DON'T FEEL LIKE HAVING FAIR
ACROSS THE BOARD CUTS RIGHT NOW
IS EQUITABLE SO WE WILL LOOK AT
BUDGET THROUGH THE EQUITY LENS
AND HAVE A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM
COMMUNITIES.
WE HAVE L.A.
ROUNDTABLES HAPPENING IN WE HAVE
BLACK AGENDA AND BLACK-CLAD
COMMUNITY LEADERS COMING UP
WITH WHAT THIS WOULD LOOK LIKE,
THE $100 MILLION SET ASIDE FROM
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SO WE HAVE BEEN SUPER BUSY LIKE
ALL OF YOU.
THANK GOODNESS OUR BUDGET
DOESN'T GO IN UNTIL THE END OF
SEPTEMBER SO WE HAVE SOME TIME.
>> TRACY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
THE INFORMATION AND BACKGROUND
ON HOW LONG THESE CALLS HAVE
BEEN IN MOTION AND HOW MUCH
YOUR COUNCIL AND LEADERSHIP
HAS BEEN TAKING INTO ACCOUNT.
I WANT TO JUST BEFORE WE TAKE
QUESTIONS, SO I CAN HEAR
QUICKLY, TRACY MENTIONED A GOAL
OF $100 MILLION I BELIEVE AT
LEAST BEING CUT FROM THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT BUDGET, DID I HEAR
THAT CORRECTLY?
I SEE YOU ARE NODDING.
AND COUNCILMEMBER HAD TO JUMP
OFF BUT SAID MAY BE 200,
COUNCILMEMBERS DO YOU HAVE A
SPECIFIC NUMBER OR PERCENT OF
YOUR BUDGET YOU ARE AIMING
TOWARDS OR HAVE THOSE
DISCUSSIONS HAPPEN AT THAT
LEVEL YOU?
>> WE CURRENTLY DON'T HAVE A
SPECIFIC NUMBER.
PART OF THE REASON FOR THAT IS
WE ARE REDOING OUR BUDGET
OUTSIDE THE NORMAL PROCESS.
SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF US ARE
BECAUSE OF CORONAVIRUS.
WE ARE STILL CALCULATING WHAT
OUR BUDGET SHORTFALL IS AND
úTHAT WILL INFORM THE REST OF
OUR BUDGET DECISIONS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> WE ARE AIMING FOR $1 BILLION
OF CUTS OUT OF THE PD BUDGET
THAT IS $6 BILLION.
>> OKAY AND WHAT PERCENTAGE OF
YOUR LARGER BUDGET, I FORGOT?
OF YOUR POLICE BUDGET.
>> CITY BUDGET IS $90 BILLION
GIVE OR TAKE. POLICING IS $6
BILLION AND WE ARE LOOKING TO
DO CUTS OF AT LEAST $1 BILLION.
>> I GOT IT.
VERY HELPFUL.
THANK YOU ALL FOR THE FEEDBACK.
WE KNOW A LOT OF FOLKS FROM
LOCAL PROGRESS GET TO SEE EACH
OTHER FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY
ANNUALLY, BUT THIS IS WHAT IT'S
ALL ABOUT, PULLING TOGETHER
PROGRESSIVE IDEAS SO WE CAN
LEARN FROM EACH OTHER.
AND COUNCILMEMBER GONZALEZ IS
ON THE BOARD AND WANT TO SEE IF
YOU HAD ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE
COLLEAGUES FROM LOCAL PROGRESS
BEFORE WE OPEN IT UP?
YOU MIGHT BE FROZEN.
>> SHE IS FROZEN.
GO AHEAD, COUNCILMEMBER.
>> TECHNOLOGY, THIS IS WHAT I
SAID THIS MORNING.
WE NEED UNIVERSAL BROADBAND SO
EVERYONE HAS HIGH-SPEED ACCESS.
COUNCILMEMBER GONZALEZ?
OKAY.
WE WILL WAIT FOR THAT TO GET
SET UP.
DID I SEE A HAND?
>> I DID NOT PUT MY HAND UP.
>> OKAY.
COUNCIL COLLEGUES, ANY
QUESTIONS?
>> I HAVE A QUESTION.
AND THEN I SEE COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT AND COUNCILMEMBER
GONZALEZ IS BACK AS WELL.
I HAVE A QUESTION QUICKLY ABOUT
THE POLICY OF MAKING CUTS RIGHT
NOW, MANY OF US HAVE BEEN IN
THE POSITION TO WANT TO CUT OUR
POLICE DEPARTMENT IN HALF FOR
EXAMPLE AND TO REALLOCATE THOSE
DOLLARS RIGHT NOW.
WITH THE PROPOSED CUTS OF 100
POLICE AND I KNOW COUNCILMEMBER
HAD TO GO OFF LINE BUT IF
ANYONE ELSE HAS MADE IMMEDIATE
COMMITMENTS LIKE THAT, HOW
QUICKLY DO SOME OF THOSE
DECISIONS GET PLAYED OUT IN THE
STREET?
HAVE YOU SEEN THAT OR TALKED
ABOUT THAT IN YOUR CITIES BACK
>> COUNCILMEMBER LANDER?
>> ONE GOOD FEATURE OF A HIRING
FREEZE WHICH THEN REDUCES THE
FORCE BY ATTRITION IS YOU START
RIGHT AWAY.
WE DON'T MAKE THE CHANGE AND
THERE WILL BE A NEW CADET CLASS
RECRUITED AND WE GENERALLY DO
FOUR A YEAR AND THEY WILL BE
ONE THAT STARTS IN JULY.
THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE.
AND THE PLAN IS NOT ONLY A
HIRING FREEZE THAT WOULD REDUCE
THE FORCE DOWN BY 6%, BUT TO
LOWER THE BUDGETED HEADCOUNT SO
WE ACHIEVE THAT REDUCTION AS
WELL.
THERE ARE PLENTY OF OTHER
THINGS WE ARE LOOKING AT, BUT
OBVIOUSLY OUR LONGER-TERM IS TO
MOVE HOW YOU DO MENTAL HEALTH
RESPONSE OR HOW YOU DO RESPONSE
TO DOMESTIC AND VIOLENCE.
YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHO IS
GOING TO RESPOND AND AT LEAST A
HIRING FREEZE AND OVERTIME CUTS
>>> I KNOW SHE WAS HAVING
INTERNET ISSUES, DID YOU HAVE
ANYTHING?
>> CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME AND SEE
ME?
I AM THE POSTER CHILD OF THE
MASSIVE NEED FOR THE UNIVERSAL
MUNICIPAL BROADBAND IF I HAVE
EVER SEEN ONE.
I HAVE HAD A ROUGH TIME WITH MY
INTERNET, I APOLOGIZE.
I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO
THE COUNCILMEMBERS FROM AUSTIN
AND NEW YORK CITY AND
MINNEAPOLIS FOR JOINING US
TODAY.
I WANT TO EXPRESS SPECIFIC
GRATITUDE TO COUNCILMEMBER
ALLISON WHO HAS BEEN WORKING ON
THESE ISSUES FOR A LONG TIME
HAS AN ACTIVIST FOR BEING
ELECTED AS A COUNCILMEMBER AND
I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR US
AS A COUNCIL IN SEATTLE TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THE TREMENDOUS LOSS
THAT THE PEOPLE OF YOUR CITY
HAVE EXPERIENCED AND SOME OF
THE MOST MOVING VIDEOS OF
FRANKLY TESTIMONY FROM BLACK
AMERICANS I HAVE SEEN HAVE COME
FROM THE STREETS OF MINNEAPOLIS.
I KNOW SOME OF THOSE STREETS
ARE IN YOUR WARD AND SOME OF
THEM ARE IN OTHER WARDS AND I
REALLY WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT
PAIN AND FRUSTRATION AND ALSO
THE LEADERSHIP THAT YOU HAVE
EXHIBITED IN PARTICULAR ON
BEHALF OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY
IN MINNEAPOLIS AND OUR NATIONS
BLACK COMMUNITY AND I AM
INSPIRED BY YOUR LEADERSHIP AND
INSPIRED BY YOUR WORK IN A
MOMENT OF SUCH ONGOING DEEP
TRAGEDY AND TRAUMA FOR THE
BLACK COMMUNITY.
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT
AND I WANT TO EXTEND TO YOU
ONGOING PARTNERSHIP AND
FRIENDSHIP AND COLLABORATION AS
YOU CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE WITH
THOSE ISSUES ON THE NATIONAL
SCENE.
I KNOW HOW HARD THAT MUST BE SO
THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US AND
I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO
WATCH WHAT MINNEAPOLIS IS DOING
AND LEARNING FROM YOU ALL ON
HOW YOU WILL NEED TO CHARGE ON
DEFUNDING AND YOUR POLICE
DEPARTMENT IN SUCH A BOLD WAY.
SO I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AND
APPRECIATE YOU.
I WANT TO THANK I KNOW
COUNCILMEMBER KHAZAR IS NO
LONGER ON THE LINE BUT
COUNCILMEMBER LANDER IS ON THE
LINE, WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO
SERVE TOGETHER ON THE BOARD OF
LOCAL PROGRESS A NATIONAL
ORGANIZATION OF PROGRESSIVE
ELECTED LEADERS THAT REALLY DO
WORK HARD TO CENTER POLICIES
AND WORK IN RESPECTIVE COUNCIL
CHAMBERS ON COMMUNITY DRIVEN
SOLUTIONS AND HAVE REALLY
ENJOYED THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK
THERE.
THE FACT THAT WE HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO CONVENE HERE IS
A STRONG TESTAMENT AS TO WHAT
ORGANIZATIONS LIKE LOCAL
PROGRESS ARE SO IMPORTANT TO
CONTINUING TO BUILD A NATIONWIDE
LOCAL NETWORK OF ADMITTEDLY
POLICY BLOCKS BUT ALSO THOSE
DRIVEN BY A DEEP DESIRE TO
SERVE OUR COMMUNITIES IN A
PROFOUND WAY.
SO I WANT TO THANK
COUNCILMEMBER LANDER FOR BEING
WITH US TODAY AND ALSO
ACKNOWLEDGE YOU ALL IN NEW YORK
CITY HAVE BEEN HIT THE HARDEST
IN THE COUNTRY IN TERMS OF LOSS
OF LIFE FROM THIS GLOBAL
PANDEMIC AND LIKE SEATTLE YOU
HAVE SEEN A SWIFT, AGGRESSIVE,
HORRIFIC POLICE RESPONSE TO
PROTESTS THAT ARE ABOUT
EXCESSIVE FORCE HAS HAS
MINNEAPOLIS.
I GUESS I WANT TO GET A SENSE
FROM BOTH OF YOU HOW YOU ALL
ARE DEALING ON THE COUNCIL
LEVEL AS POLICYMAKERS AND
BUDGET DECISION-MAKERS SORT OF
HOW YOU ARE, HOW YOU ARE
EVALUATING SOME OF THE POLICE
VIOLENCE RESPONSE IN THE CONTEXT
OF DRIVING POLICY DECISIONS
RELATED TO BUDGET DECISIONS
ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY IN POLICE
DEPARTMENTS.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE
VIEWING PUBLIC AND FOR US AS
COUNCILMEMBERS TO HEAR DIRECTLY
FROM YOU COUNCILMEMBERS IN
OTHER CITIES, THE SHARED
EXPERIENCE YOUR CONSTITUENTS
HAVE HAD WITH REGARD TO POLICE
VIOLENCE BEING THE RESPONSE TO
A PROTEST OPPOSING POLICE
VIOLENCE.
BECAUSE I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT
FOR US TO CREATE THAT
CONNECTION ACROSS THE COUNTRY
AND TO REALLY SHOW A UNIFIED
FRONT AS PROGRESSIVE ELECTED
LEADERS WHO ARE VERY SERIOUS
ABOUT THIS CALL TO DEFUND
RESPECTIVE POLICE DEPARTMENTS
IN A MEANINGFUL WAY AND IN A
WAY WE CAN MAKE A STRONG CASE
AS TO WHY THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN
AND HOW WE CAN DIVERT THOSE
FUNDS INTO PROGRAMS AND SERVICES
THAT ARE GOING TO INVEST IN
BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES
THAT CONTINUE TO FEEL THE TRAUMA
OF HOW THIS COUNTRY HAS SET UP
ITS JUSTICE SYSTEMS.
>> I'M HAPPY TO JUMP IN.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING US AND
THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOUR
CITY IS DOING.
IN MINNEAPOLIS WE DON'T HAVE
EVERY SINGLE ANSWER BUT WE ARE
HOPING WE CAN COME UP WITH A
LOT OF ANSWERS AND REALLY
INNOVATE AND WE KNOW WE ARE IN
UNCHARTED TERRITORY WHEN IT
COMES TO DISMANTLING POLICE
FORCES AND CREATING SOMETHING
THAT WORKS.
YOU KNOW I THINK WHEN I START
TO SEE A CERTAIN LEVEL OF UNREST
STARTING TO OCCUR MY INSTINCT
IS TO BE DOWN THERE, PHYSICALLY
DOWN TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON IN
THIS INSTANCE WAS NO DIFFERENT.
I WENT TO THE VIGIL, THERE WAS
A MARCH, WHEN THE MARCH STARTED
I DECIDED TO GO HOME BECAUSE OF
CORONAVIRUS AND SOME OTHER
THINGS BUT THEN I STARTED
GETTING CALLS FROM FRIENDS
SAYING THE POLICE ARE ACTING
VIOLENTLY SO I CALLED THE MAYOR
, HE WAS NOT HEARING THE SAME
THING SO I SAID I'M GOING TO GO
DOWN AND I WILL LET YOU KNOW
WHAT I'M SEEING.
WHAT I SAW WAS A POLICE FORCE
COMPLETELY UNWILLING TO LEAN
INTO ANY DE-ESCALATION
TECHNIQUES AT ALL.
MUCH HAS BEEN MADE ABOUT THE
REBELLIONS ABOUT FIRES AND
ALLUDING AND PEOPLE LOVE TO
THROW THOSE TERMS AROUND BUT
THE FIRST NIGHT OF THE UNREST
NOBODY WAS, NOBODY WAS DOING
ANYTHING.
NOBODY HAD BROKEN INTO ANY
STORES.
NOTHING HAD BEEN SET ON FIRE SO
THE SITUATION ON THE FIRST
NIGHT WAS NOT THE SITUATION HAS
BECOME AND WHAT IT IS KNOWN FOR.
IF YOU ARE ON THE GROUND YOU
COULD SEE PEOPLE WERE HURT,
PEOPLE WANTED THAT HURT TO BE
ACKNOWLEDGED AND RESPECTED AND
INSTEAD THEY GOT A CONSTANT
RAIN OF ROLLER RUBBER BULLETS,
FLASH BANG MINUTES, TEAR GAS
AND MACE.
THAT'S WHAT THEY GOT ALL NIGHT
AND EVEN BEFORE YOU HAD
PROTESTERS DOING STUFF LIKE
THROWING WATER BOTTLES WHICH
THEY LOVE TO USE AS AN EXCUSE
TO REALLY BRING DOWN THE
UNNECESSARY HAMMER.
EVEN BEFORE YOU HAD PROTESTERS
THROWING WATER BOTTLES THERE
WERE VIDEOS OF PEOPLE WALKING
DURING THE MARCH BEING SPRAYED
WITH MACE BY SOME POLICE
OFFICERS WHO WERE SORT OF
HANGING OUT ON THE SIDE.
SO AT EVERY TURN WE SAW
ESCALATIONS AND WHAT IT SHOWED
ME WAS YOU HAVE COMMUNAL IT
SHOWED ME JUST HOW MUCH MEMBERS
OF OUR DEPARTMENT REALLY
RESENTED OUR CONSTITUENTS AND
RESIDENTS.
AND I DON'T THINK WE HAD TAKEN
THAT SERIOUSLY.
I THINK WE HAVE RELEGATED A LOT
OF THINGS INTO THE REALM OF
ANNOYANCE.
WE WERE ANNOYED BY THE FACT
THAT 94% OF OFFICERS DON'T LIVE
IN THE CITY OR WE DIDN'T
UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANT AND
THAT IT COULD POTENTIALLY MEAN
THE OFFICERS RESENTED OUR
CONSTITUENCY.
I THINK WE WERE ANNOYED BY THE
FACT THAT THE FEDERATION POLICE
UNION PRESIDENT, SORT OF
ANNOYED BY HIS HARD ATTITUDE OR
THAT HE INTRODUCED TROMBETTA
TRUMP RALLY BUT AS A BODY I
DON'T KNOW WE TOOK SERIOUSLY
ENOUGH WHAT IT MEANT TO HAVE
SOMEBODY LIKE HIM AS THE
ELECTED LEADER OF OUR POLICE
FORCE.
WHAT THOSE MOMENTS REVEALED WAS
JUST HOW MUCH RESENTMENT THE
POLICE FORCE HAD FOR OUR
RESIDENTS AND IT'S COMPLETELY
UNTENABLE.
AT ONE POINT, HE CAME OUT IN A
LETTER AND SAID IF THE POLICE
HAD BEEN ABLE TO USE LETHAL
ROUNDS ON PROTESTERS THE FIRST
NIGHT, OF THE PROTEST, THAT
THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
END THE UNREST.
SO NOW WE HAVE A POLICE UNION
PRESIDENT ADVOCATING FOR THE
USE OF LETHAL ROUNDS ON
RESIDENCE AND IT'S NOT
APPROPRIATE, HOW COULD YOU WALK
BACK INTO A NEGOTIATION ROOM
WITH A BODY THAT FEELS THAT WAY
. SO THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT
I THINK WE HAD COME IN THE
PAST, I THINK WE HAD EITHER
MISUNDERSTOOD OR UNDERESTIMATED
AND THEY JUST CAME ROARING TO
THE FOREFRONT. DURING THE
COURSE OF THESE UNREST.
SO I THINK THAT THE IDEA OF
DEFINING THE POLICE IS NOT NEW,
A SMALL NUMBER OF COUNCILMEMBERS
ON THE MINNEAPOLIS COUNCIL, WE
BASICALLY TRY EVERY YEAR AND WE
ARE UNSUCCESSFUL.
BUT I FEEL LIKE THIS SO THAT
TOOK MAYBE WAS A FRINGE IDEA AND
HAS WOKEN PEOPLE UP TO THE FACT
THAT WE REALLY NEED TO DO
SOMETHING ABOUT HOW WE KEEP
PEOPLE SAFE BECAUSE THIS MODEL
OF SAFETY HAS FAILED, NOT JUST
WHEN IT COMES TO THESE POLICE
MURDERS AND THEIR RESPONSE TO
THE PROTEST.
WE HAVE A HOST OF, A WHOLE HOST
OF SCANDALS THAT HAVE HAPPENED
IN MY SHORT TIME LIKE 2 1/2
YEARS IN OFFICE.
SO IT ALL CONTRIBUTES TO A
CULTURE FAILING TO KEEP THE
CITY SAFE AND WE NOW HAVE THE
ENTIRE COUCIL TAKING THAT
SERIOUSLY.
>> THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING THAT.
I WANT TO SAY HOW MUCH WE
APPRECIATE YOU SHARING THE
STORY FROM THE GROUND LEVEL AND
BEFORE WE HEAR ANY OTHER
RESPONSES I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE
WE HAVE SUPERVISOR WALTON HERE
WITH US AND REALLY APPRECIATE
YOU BEING HERE.
YOUR INCREDIBLE STAFF, WE HAD
AN INCREDIBLE OVERVIEW OF THE
WORK YOU HAVE DONE IN THE LAST
FEW YEARS AND IN THE LAST FEW
WEEKS SO COUNCILMEMBER LANDER
BEFORE I HAVE YOU ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS THAT COUNCIL
PRESIDENT GONZALEZ ASKS I WOULD
LIKE TO GIVE YOU A SECOND TO
CHIME IN.
THE QUESTIONS WE ARE ASKING ARE
WHAT ARE COUNCILS DOING IN
RESPONSE TO THE DEMAND TO
DEFUND POLICE, TO ALLOCATE
FUNDING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY
PROGRAMS AND TO TRANSFORM OUR
CONCEPT OF WHAT IT IS TO POLICE
AND PROVIDING SAFETY SO THANK
YOU.
I KNOW YOU WERE JUST COMING
FROM A BUDGET MEETING.
>> FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR THE PLATFORM AND FOR
THE CONVERSATION.
I WON'T GET INTO POLICIES, THE
ONE THING I WILL SAY AS WE TALK
ABOUT REDIRECTING RESOURCES,
DEFUNDING POLICE AND SHIFTING
RESOURCES TO INVESTMENTS AND
REALLY FOCUSING ON REPARATIONS
AND STRATEGIES THAT FEED INTO
MAKING SURE WE ACHIEVE FULL
REPARATIONS BECAUSE THIS IS
WHAT IT'S LEADING TO, THIS HAS
BEEN GOING ON FOR A LONG TIME.
THE ATTEMPT AT EXTERMINATING
BLACK MEN, IT HAS BEEN
HAPPENING FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS
AND IT DIDN'T WORK WITH SLAVERY,
IT DID NOT WORK WAS SEGREGATION
KEEPING US FROM WEALTH AND
REPRODUCING, IT DID NOT WORK
WITH MASS INCARCERATION AND
OTHER HAS BEEN A BIG ATTEMPT
WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT TO
EXTERMINATE FOLKS OF COLOR SO
WE WILL DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO
TRY TO MAKE SURE WE MAKE CHANGES
TO ARE THE'S THINGS CANNOT
CONTINUE TO HAPPEN AT THE HANDS
OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PEOPLE
ARE HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND WE GET
THE EQUITY THAT ALL COMMUNITIES
DESERVE.
SO THANK YOU FOR HAVING THIS
CONVERSATION AND I'M GLAD I HAD
AN OPPORTUNITY TO TUNE IN EVEN
THOUGH I AM A LITTLE LATE.
>> THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.
IS THERE ANY BREAKING NEWS OR
ANYTHING, YOU DON'T HAVE TO
BREAK THE NEWS HERE BUT IS
THERE ANYTHING YOU ARE
DISCUSSING AND DEBATING IN YOUR
BUDGET COMMITTEE THAT YOU THINK
WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR US TO KNOW
?
>> WE HAVE NOT GOT TO SPECIFICS
IN TERMS OF IF WE ARE TAKING
RESOURCES FROM THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT BUDGET AND DECIDING
WHICH AREAS THEY WILL GO TO FOR
INVESTMENT IN THE BLACK
COMMUNITY.
I WOULD LOVE TO PROVIDE MORE
DETAILS WHEN WE GET TO THAT
POINT, WE CAN DEFINITELY COME
BACK AND HAVE A CONVERSATION
BUT WE ARE BEING THOUGHTFUL
ABOUT HOW WE SHIFT RESOURCES SO
THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE
HAPPENING.
WE HAVE COMMUNITY FORUMS TAKING
PLACE WITH THE BLACK COMMUNITY,
LEADERSHIP AND ORGANIZATIONS
BECAUSE WE WANT THE COMMUNITY
TO LEAN ON THESE DISCUSSIONS SO
I WANT TO RESPECT THAT PROCESS
AS WE LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE
GOING TO SHIFT RESOURCES.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, WE HAVE
ABOUT FIVE MORE MINUTES FOR
THIS PANEL AND I SAW
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT,
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD AND
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
COUNCILMEMBER DID YOU HAVE A
QUESTION?
>> I DID BUT BEFORE I ASK MY
QUESTION.
BECAUSE THIS PANEL HAS BEEN
QUITE INTERESTING TO HEAR FROM
AND STAFF BEING AVAILABLE, SO
IN THAT SPIRIT IT'S IMPORTANT
FOR US TO EXAMINE OR I THINK
IT'S IMPORTANT TO EXAMINE WHAT
IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING AND THEN
I HAD A QUESTION BUT VERY
QUICKLY, AS A PUBLIC COMMENT
INDICATED MY OFFICE AND THE
MOVEMENT ARE DEMANDING
DEFUNDING BY 50% AT LEAST, WE
OF COURSE ARE DEMANDING THEY
PROTESTERS THAT WERE ARRESTED
BE RELEASED AND ALL CHARGES BE
WITHDRAWN.
THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED YET.
HOWEVER, TO DEFUND BY AT LEAST
50% IN CONTEXT, TO SEE WHAT'S
HAPPENING AROUND THE COUNTRY I
THINK COUNCILMEMBER LANDER FROM
NEW YORK CITY SHARED THE
HIRING FREEZE, I APPRECIATE YOU
SHARING THAT.
I THINK YOU SAID THAT WOULD BE
6%.
I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR OF THE NEW
YORK COUNCILMEMBERS ARE DOING
ANYTHING CLOSE TO THAT, I DON'T
THINK ALL COUNCILMEMBERS ARE
DOING 50% BUT MY OFFICE IS.
THAT IS ONE EXAMPLE.
IN NEW YORK CITY TODAY JUST
VOTED TO CUT $16 MILLION FROM
THE POLICE BUDGET OUT OF $245
MILLION SO THAT IS 6%, TO BE
CLEAR THIS IS HAPPENING UNDER
THE PRESSURE OF THIS UPRISING
THAT STARTED IN MINNEAPOLIS AND
I WANTED TO CONGRATULATE THE
ACTIVISTS WHO SPARKED THE
REBELLION AND HAVE BEEN
FIGHTING SO WHATEVER CUTS WE
ARE GETTING, WHATEVER ACTION WE
ARE SEEING IS A CREDIT TO THE
MOVEMENT.
WE ALSO HAVE TO PUT THE NUMBERS
IN PERSPECTIVE SO IN PORTLAND
ABOUT 6% CUTS, SAN FRANCISCO I
THINK IT IS $100 MILLION.
IT WOULD BE GOOD AND I WOULD
APPLAUD CITY COUNCIL FOR DOING
THAT BUT THAT WOULD BE 16% OF
THE BUDGET.
IN LOS ANGELES THE MAYOR HAS
ADVOCATED FOR A $150 MILLION CUT
WHICH WOULD BE UP TO 8%.
WHATEVER HAPPENS WOULD BE A
CREDIT TO THE MOVEMENT BUT WE
ARE TALKING ABOUT SMALL CHANGES
AND KEEP IN MIND IN LOS ANGELES
IT'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE, A POSTER
CHILD OF THE WRONG KIND WHERE
THE MAYOR AGREED TO THAT 8%
CUTS ONLY AFTER ACTIVISTS
RALLIED OUTSIDE OF HIS HOME IN
OUTRAGE AGAINST LOS ANGELES
POLICE BEING SAID TO RECEIVE A
LARGE INCREASE IN ITS ANNUAL
BUDGET MOSTLY FOR NEW POLICE
BONUSES.
HIRING BONUSES LIKE THE CITY
COUNCIL HERE VOTED TO DO IN
FALL.
THESE ARE THE SAME
COUNCILMEMBERS WHO HAVE DONE
THIS FROM DIFFERENT CITIES.
SEATTLE AND WE ARE SEEING IN
LOS ANGELES SO I THINK THE
MOVEMENT HAS TO BE CLEAR AS
PUBLIC COMMENTERS WERE SAYING
WE CANNOT PUT TRUST IN THE SAME
ESTABLISHMENT THAT GOT US HERE.
ON THAT NOTE, MINNEAPOLIS I
APPRECIATE COUNCILMEMBERS BEING
HERE TO RESPOND.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT MINNEAPOLIS
CITY COUNCIL VOTED TWICE
RECENTLY TO INCREASE THE POLICE
BUDGET INCLUDING COUNCILMEMBER
ELLISON.
LET ME JUST FINISH AND IF IT'S
INACCURATE YOU CAN CORRECT.
>> I JUST HAD TO INTERRUPT YOU
TO LET YOU KNOW WHAT'S FALSE.
>> I'M GOING TO ASK
COUNCILMEMBER ELLISON TO RESPOND
.
>> LET ME FINISH MY QUESTION.
CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG BUT I
DON'T THINK SO AND THE MOVEMENT
IN MINNEAPOLIS WOULD NOT AGREE.
I WANT TO SAY THAT I REALLY
CONGRATULATE THE PEOPLE IN
MINNEAPOLIS WHO HAVE DONE A LOT
OF WORK IT ON THE GROUND WITH
STRONG MOBILIZATIONS IN THE
PAST YEARS TO DEFUND THE
POLICE.
MY MAIN QUESTION IS, IN THE
RESOLUTION YOU CREATED, YOU
NAMED WHAT YOU CALLED
CONSTRUCTIVE STAKEHOLDER
CONTRIBUTORS INCLUDING THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE, POLICE CHIEF
AND MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF
HUMAN RIGHTS.
IT'S PROBLEMATIC TO CALL THE
MAYOR, THE POLICE CHIEF
OVERSEEING THE VIOLENCE, ALL OF
THEM CALLED CONSTRUCTIVE
STAKEHOLDERS SO I'M CURIOUS WHY
YOU CALLED THEM CONSTRUCTIVE
STAKEHOLDERS.
>> THE WAY THAT THE BUDGET
WORKS, WE DON'T VOTE ON
INDIVIDUAL BUDGETS.
THE MAYOR PROPOSES THE BUDGET.
I WON'T PRETEND LIKE I KNOW
EVERY BUDGET WORKS BUT THE
MAYOR PROPOSES THE BUDGET AND
BOTH YEARS I BROUGHT FORWARD
RESOLUTIONS TO CUT THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT.
ONE YEAR WAS SUCCESSFUL ANOTHER
WAS LESS SUCCESSFUL AND SO THAT
IS MY RECORD ON THE POLICE
BUDGET IN MINNEAPOLIS AND
WHATEVER YOU HAVE HEARD I
APOLOGIZE FOR WHAT YOU HEARD.
AS FAR AS INVOLVING ALL
STAKEHOLDERS I HAVE HAD MY
DISAGREEMENTS WITH THE MAYOR.
I HAVE BEEN PUBLIC ABOUT THEM.
THE TRUTH IS, WE CANNOT UNDERCUT
DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLE IN
MINNEAPOLIS DID VOTE FOR THE
MAYOR.
SO I'M NOT GOING TO MAKE AN
EXECUTIVE DECISION TO CUT OUT
THE PEOPLE OF MINNEAPOLIS AND
THERE ELECTORAL AND DEMOCRATIC
POWER JUST BECAUSE I HAVE
DISAGREEMENTS WITH A CERTAIN
ELECTED OFFICIAL.
CERTAINLY MY COLLEAGUES WHO
HAVE DISAGREED WITH ME FOR MANY
YEARS HAVE NEVER STARTED CUT ME
OUT KNOWING FULL WELL MY
CONSTITUENTS ELECTED ME.
IT'S NOT SO MUCH ABOUT WHO I
LIKE OR WHETHER OR NOT I LIKE
THE DECISIONS, I COULD DISAGREE
WITH THEIR DECISIONS.
AT THE END OF THE DAY THIS IS
REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY AND I
CANNOT DISRESPECT PEOPLE IN
MINNEAPOLIS BY CUTTING OUT THE
ELECTED THAT THEY VOTED FOR.
SO WE CAN HAVE THOSE FIGHTS, IF
THE MAYOR WANTS TO DISAGREE ON
HOW WE MOVE FORWARD I AM HAPPY
TO DUKE IT OUT BUT IT WILL NOT
CUT THEM OUT ENTIRELY BECAUSE
THE PEOPLE OF MINNEAPOLIS
DIDN'T.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LANDER, THANK
YOU.
I THINK YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO
ADD TO THAT.
>> THREE QUICK THINGS.
FIRST, IN TERMS OF SHORT-TERM
AND LONG-TERM THINKING ABOUT
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CUTS
AND DISMANTLING AND REINVENTING
SO WE HAVE ONE WEEK TO GET A
BUDGET PUT TO BED AND WE ARE
AIMING TO GET A BILLION-DOLLAR
CUT OUT OF THE SIX BILLION-
DOLLAR INSTITUTION.
AMBITIOUS GOAL FOR ONE WEEK OR
TWO OR THREE WEEKS FROM WHEN
THIS UPRISING STARTED.
THE LONGER-TERM WORK OF
GENUINELY DISMANTLING,
SOMETIMES I ASKED PEOPLE THINK
ABOUT THE LAST 10 TIMES YOU SAW
A POLICE OFFICER AND TELL ME
HOW MANY OF THEM YOU THINK WE
NEEDED TO SEND SOMEBODY WITH A
GUN.
MAYBE ONE, TWO, THREE.
IF WE'RE DOING A FUNDAMENTAL
TRANSFORMATION WHAT ARE WE
GOING TO DO WHEN SOMEONE CALLS
911 IN A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASE
OR TO RESPOND TO PEOPLE IN
MENTAL HEALTH DISTRESS.
YOU REALLY GO THROUGH WHAT
COMMUNITY SAFETY IS AND THAT IS
A FUNDAMENTALLY TRANSFORMATIVE
PROCESS THAT IS NOT AS SIMPLE
AS TAKING A PEN TO THE BUDGET
SO I RESPECT THE WAY MINNEAPOLIS
IS THINKING ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD
LOOK LIKE TO COMMIT TO
DISMANTLING BUT BE SERIOUS
ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD MEAN TO
REINVENT MODELS OF COMMUNITY
SAFETY.
FINALLY I WILL OWN SOME
RESPONSIBILITY.
ON ONE HAND I HAVE TRIED TO
SHOW UP ON POLICE REFORM
ISSUES.
I HAVE LED THE WAY IN CREATING
THE INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE
AND STRENGTHENING PROHIBITION
ON BIAS BASED PROFILING AND I
PUT MISTAKEN FAITH IN
INCREMENTAL REFORMS.
I HOPED WE COULD ACHIEVE MORE
TRUST BETWEEN POLICE AND
COMMUNITY.
I DID NOT FIGHT FOR SIGNIFICANT
REDUCTIONS IN POLICING OR
UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT.
I HAD ENOUGH INFORMATION, IS
NOT HAPPENING IN MY UPPER-
MIDDLE-CLASS NEIGHBORHOOD BUT
I'VE HAD ENOUGH CONVERSATIONS
WITH MY COLLEAGUES AND WITH
PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW
BETTER.
SO FAIR ENOUGH I WILL OWN THE
CRITICISM PEOPLE WANT TO SEND
MY WAY. IT SEEMS BETTER TO WAKE
UP AT SOME POINT AND SAY WE
NEED TO CHANGE STRATEGIES, IT'S
TIME TO GET BIGGER AND BOLDER.
I'M NOT LOOKING TO DUCK THE
RESPONSIBILITY FOR PAST THINGS
I'VE DONE BUT THE QUESTION IS
WHAT MY CONSTITUENTS AND WHAT
THE CITY WANTS GOING FORWARD.
>> COUNCILMEMBERS,
COUNCILMEMBER WALTON OR
COUNCILMEMBER ELLISON OR
COUNCILMEMBER LANDER, I WANT
TO SAY THANK YOU.
I FEEL LIKE MANY OF US ARE
BEING MOVED TO BOLD AND
PROGRESSIVE ACTIONS.
RESPONDING TO THE MOVEMENT AND
I KNOW YOU AS LEADERS WITHIN
YOUR CITIES HAVE ALREADY BEEN
AT THE FOREFRONT.
YOU HAVE BEEN PUSHING FOR THESE
REDUCTIONS.
HAVE BEEN CALLING FOR CUTS AND
TRANSFORMATION AND THAT'S WHY
WE WANT YOU ON THIS RESUME
TODAY.
YOU ARE THE LEADERS COMING NOT
JUST FROM IVORY TOWERS AFTER
YEARS OF PUTTING MONEY IN YOUR
POCKETS AND SITTING IN A
POSITION TO NOW SIT ON CITY
COUNCIL AS A NOMINEE PAST
COUNCILS HAD BECOME, WE ARE NOW
SHOWING UP AS THE ACTIVISTS
THAT WE WERE AND THAT WE ARE IN
MAKING DECISIONS ON BEHALF OF
THE COMMUNITY WE REPRESENT AND
THAT'S WHY WE WANTED TO HAVE
YOU HERE TODAY.
WERE TRULY LEADERS AND THE
FOLKS WE HAVE HEARD FROM HAVE
ASKED TO SHARE YOUR STORIES
BECAUSE THEY'RE LOOKING AT YOU
ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS LEADERS
AND THAT'S ESPECIALLY TRUE
COMING FROM COUNCILMEMBER
ELLISON FROM MINNEAPOLIS.
THANK YOU SUPERVISOR WALTON, WE
HAVE BEEN HEARING COMMENTS AND
WE KNOW YOU'RE IN A LEADERSHIP
POSITION MORE IMPORTANTLY ON
LOCAL PROGRESS LEADING THE WAY
TO LIFT UP THESE VOICES.
IT IS WITH THE INTENTION TO
MAKE SURE THE LEADERS MOVING
THE DIAL WITHIN COUNCILS, THEY
ARE SITTING NOT JUST IN THEIR
COUNCIL CHAMBERS ALSO COMING
FROM COMMUNITY AND REPRESENTING
THOSE VALUES.
WE DO WANT TO THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR YOUR WORK AND I KNOW
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD AND
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS HAD A
QUESTION AND I WANT YOU TO
HOLD THOSE BECAUSE ANDREA
RITCHIE IS WITH US.
I APOLOGIZE BECAUSE MAYBE WE
COULD OF HAD TO FOLLOW-UP THOSE
PANELISTS AND THAT WOULD'VE
BEEN A GOOD LINE OF QUESTIONING
BUT YOU WILL SPEAK WITH US AND
WE ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO HOLD
QUESTIONS.
TO COLLEAGUES FROM ACROSS THE
NATION, A HUGE AMOUNT OF
RESPECT AND APPRECIATION.
SOLIDARITY AND WE ARE FOLLOWING
YOUR LEAD IN MANY WAYS AND WE
WILL KEEP LEANING ON EACH OTHER
TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE NEXT
STEP IS WHAT THE BLUEPRINT IS
TO MAKE COMMITMENTS ACTIONABLE.
THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE DONE IN THE
PAST AND I WISH I COULD HUG YOU
VIRTUALLY.
THANK YOU BUT PLEASE STAY ON
THE LINE IF YOU'RE ABLE TO HEAR
FROM ANDREA IT'S GOING TO BE
HELPFUL PRESENTATION OVER THE
NEXT 10 MINUTES.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBERS.
PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELVES FOR
PEOPLE WHO MIGHT NOT KNOW.
YOU ARE NATIONALLY KNOWN AND WE
ARE INCREDIBLY LUCKY TO HAVE
YOU.
FOLKS HAVE BEEN LIFTING UP YOUR
WORK FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME
AND COLLEAGUES, WE ARE BLESSED
TO HAVE HER HERE WITH US TODAY
SO GIVE US A FLAVOR OF THE WORK
YOU DO AND HOW TO MAKE THESE
COMMITMENTS ACTIONABLE WITHIN
OUR CITIES.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING
ME TODAY.
I WANT TO EMPHASIZE I COME
BEFORE YOU QUITE HUMBLY AS
SOMEONE WHO HAS ONLY VISITED
YOUR CITY BUT IT WAS A DEEP
APPRECIATION FOR THE
ORGANIZATIONS WHO HAVE BEEN AND
ARE BUILDING YOUR VISIONS OF
SAFETY AND THAT MANY OF US LOOK
UP TO.
I COME BEFORE YOU AS A
RESEARCHER AND A MEMBER OF THE
COMMUNITIES WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT INCLUDING BEING A
SURVIVOR OF VIOLENCE AND I AM
ALSO A NEW YORKER WHO HAS BEEN
PART OF COMMUNITIES UNITED FOR
POLICE REFORM AND HAVE BEEN
DRIVING THIS CUT 10 NYPD.
SO I THINK YOU KNOW DOES NOT
SELECT MANY OF YOU NEED MUCH
CONVINCING BUT TO REITERATE THE
TRAJECTORY THAT WAS LAID OUT,
THERE IS NO NATIONAL CONSENSUS
THAT CLEAR IN THE WAKE OF THE
KILLINGS OF GEORGE FLOYD AND
OTHERS. THIS IS NO LONGER THE
TIME FOR SOLUTIONS OF THE PAST
WHICH AS WE HAVE POINTED OUT
HAVE FAILED US.
JURISDICTIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY
WILL BE ENGAGED INCLUDING
SEATTLE IN REFORM PRACTICES,
POLICY, OVERSIGHT FOR YEARS OR
DECADES AND CHANGES TO POLICIES
ON PAPER AND TRAINING AND
OVERSIGHT AS WELL AS THE DAY-TO-
DAY VIOLENCE OF CRIMINALIZATION
IN COMMUNITIES AND THAT HAS
BEEN TRUE IN SEATTLE AND ACROSS
THE COUNTRY.
MINNEAPOLIS OFFICIALS HAVE
ACKNOWLEDGED THE ACTIONS OF THE
OFFICER WHO KILLED GEORGE FLOYD
VIOLATED EXISTING POLICIES AND
THE SANCTITY OF LIFE USE OF
YOURS FORCE POLICY THE
OVERSIGHT FAILED TO REMOVE HIM
AND OTHERS INVOLVED IN GEORGE
FLOYD KILLING DESPITE PRIOR
COMPLAINTS, IN TERMS OF DE-
ESCALATION TRAINING THE OFFICERS
HAD GONE THROUGH DE-ESCALATION
TRAINING, OFFICERS WHO KILLED
OTHERS HAD GONE THROUGH CRISIS
TRAINING.
IF THERE WAS ANY DOUBT, IT'S
CLEAR IN THIS MOMENT IT IS
UNPRECEDENTED AND THAT WE ARE
FACING A TRIPLE PANDEMIC OF
POLICE VIOLENCE AGAINST BLACK
PEOPLE IN THE CORONAVIRUS
PANDEMIC DECIMATING COMMUNITIES
AND REVEALING THE DEADLY
CONSEQUENCES AND WE ARE IN THE
MIDST OF THE GREATEST ECONOMIC
CRISIS IN MY GENERATION. IS
TIME FOR SOLUTIONS IN THE FUTURE
AND SOLUTIONS THAT CREATE A
WORLD WHERE THEY WOULD STILL BE
HERE.
THAT DOESN'T INVOLVE DIVESTING
FINANCIALLY AND IDEOLOGICALLY.
FOR ALL OF US EMOTIONALLY FROM
A SYSTEM THAT'S KILLING PEOPLE
OF COLORED AND MIGRANTS AND
ALSO FAILING TO PROTECT US FROM
VIOLENCE AND HARMING US AT THE
SAME TIME.
REALLY TO INVEST IN THIS IS THE
PART OF THE DEFUNDING STRATEGY.
THIS IS NOT JUST A BUDGETARY
AUSTERITY MEASURE WHERE WE LOOK
APPELLEE SHOULD TAKE THEIR FAIR
SHARE OF CUTS ACROSS THE BOARD
AND YOU KNOW I THINK THAT WAS
AN ARGUMENT PEOPLE WERE MAKING
IN THE BEGINNING.
IF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
TOOK A 30% CUT THEN WE
SHOULDN'T NOT BE TOUCHING THE
NYPD BUDGET BUT WERE NOT SAYING
CUT THE NYPD AND EDUCATION BY
30% WE ARE SAYING CUT NYPD 30%
OR MORE AND INCREASE THE
FUNDING FOR DOE, TO THE THINGS
THAT MATTER AND MAKE
COMMUNITIES SAFER.
AND THE RESPONSES AND
PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION
PROGRAMS THAT ADDRESS VIOLENCE
THAT ALREADY EXIST THAT ARE
UNDER RESOURCED.
ALSO TO CREATE SPACE AND SET
ASIDE RESOURCES TO IMAGINE AND
DREAM AND EXPERIMENT WITH THE
RESPONSES OR NEW INFRASTRUCTURE
OR NO INSTITUTIONS AND
PRACTICES TO FILL THE GAPS.
THAT IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT
REQUIRES US TO RESIST THIS
AUSTERITY FRAMEWORK AS THE ONE
WE NEED TO BE IN.
SO YOU HAVE HEARD FROM
COMMUNITY AND BLACK
ORGANIZATIONS.
INVESTING IN PROGRAMS PROVING
TO INCREASE THE ABILITY TO
AVOID AND ESCAPE ALL FORMS OF
VIOLENCE WHICH INCLUDE HOUSING,
COMPREHENSIVE VOLUNTARY HARM
REDUCTION BASED, ACCESSIBLE
HEALTH CARE COMMUNITY-BASED
NONCOERCIVE MENTAL HEALTH CARE
AND COMMUNITY-BASED VIOLENCE
PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION
PROGRAMS.
I THINK SEATTLE IS LUCKY TO BE
HOME TO OR NEIGHBORING A NUMBER
OF MODELS BEING CONSIDERED
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
INCLUDING A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
PREVENTION INTERVENTION PROGRAM
, THE MOBILE CRISIS TEAM, THE
CRISIS SOLUTION CENTERS, THE
VITAL PROGRAM THAT YOU HAVE,
THESE ARE PROGRAMS THAT IF
UNCOUPLED FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT
AND GIVEN ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
WOULD ALREADY STEP IN TO FILL
IN SOME SPACES TO CREATE
COMMUNITY SAFETY THAT WE ARE
LOOKING FOR IN SEATTLE AND
ADAPTED FOR LOCAL COMMUNITIES
AROUND THE COUNTRY.
VIOLENCE INTERRUPTER PROGRAMS
WE ARE LIFTING UP AROUND THE
COUNTRY AND COUNCILMEMBER
ELLISON MENTIONED.
IN TERMS OF A PROCESS IN
DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA I'M SURE
YOU ARE AWARE ESTABLISHED A
WELLNESS AND SAFETY TASK FORCE
MADE UP OF COMMUNITY LEADERS
WHO COULD BE CHARGED WITH
IDENTIFYING WHICH PROGRAMS ARE
CURRENTLY WORKING TO PREVENT
AND INTERVENE VIOLENCE OR MEET
UNMET MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS OR
ADDRESS CRISES WITHOUT
VIOLENTLY POLICING HOMELESS
PEOPLE FOR INSTANCE AND
IDENTIFYING GAPS IN WHICH
EXPERIMENTATION, ENVISIONING,
PRACTICING AND TRYING
ALTERNATIVES COULD TAKE PLACE.
IN TERMS OF THE QUESTION POSED
ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE ARE DOING
AROUND THE COUNTRY.
AS YOU JUST HEARD PEOPLE ARE
TAKING A NUMBER OF APPROACHES
AND HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF
WORKING WITH DOZENS OF
COMMUNITIES FROM DALLAS AND
PHOENIX TO PROVIDENCE TO MIAMI
TO PORTLAND TO CHICAGO TO NEW
YORK CITY AND HAVE IDENTIFIED
SIX MAIN AREAS FOLKS ARE
TARGETING.
WE TALKED ABOUT, SORRY.
WE TALKED ABOUT A FEW OF THEM
BUT TO LAY THEM OUT IN A
STRUCTURAL FASHION, ONE IS TO
STOP POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET
INCREASES AS PROPOSED.
I WANT TO POINT OUT IF
SEATTLE'S POLICE BUT IT HAD
JUST KEPT PACE WITH INFLATION
OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS IT
WOULD BE $285 MILLION SO THERE
HAS BEEN AN INCREASE OF $205
MILLION IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS
AND THAT WOULD TAKE CARE OF 50%
AND IT'S ABOUT RECOGNIZING HOW
INCREASES HAVE HAPPENED OVER
TIME AND TO REVERSE THOSE.
MANY OF TARGETED DOLLAR AMOUNTS
SPECIFICALLY AND THE IMPORTANCE
OF THAT IS IT'S THIS YEAR NOT
JUST A PERIOD OF YEARS BUT WE
START THIS YEAR AND THE
COMMITMENTS NEED TO CONTINUE.
IT'S NOT THAT WE COMMIT THIS
YEAR AND THEN WHEN WE RECOVER
FROM THE CRISIS WE GO BACK TO
THE USUAL LEVELS, SO IT'S
COMMITMENT OVER YEARS AND
THAT'S WHAT'S BEEN ASKED OF
FOLKS IN SEATTLE.
FOLKS ARE DEFINITELY CUTTING
BUDGETS BY AMOUNTS, BY
PERCENTAGES, AND ALSO LOOKING
AT OVERTIME BUDGETS, LOOKING AT
CUTS TO DEPARTMENTS LIKE PUBLIC
RELATIONS, POLICE DEPARTMENTS
OR LEGAL DEFENSE DEPARTMENTS.
I WANT TO EMPHASIZE ONE CAVEAT
THAT I TALK ABOUT IN THE
TOOLKIT THAT I SHARED.
CITIES SPEND TREMENDOUS MONEY
DEFENDING AGAINST LITIGATION
AND PAYING PRIVATE FIRMS AT
VERY HIGH RATES.
THEY SHOULD NOT BE SPENDING
THAT MONEY.
THAT SHOULD NOT BE THE CASE IN
FACT I WOULD ENCOURAGE CITIES
TO ADOPT A REPARATION FRAMEWORK
LIKE WE HAD IN SAN FRANCISCO
FOR POLICE VIOLENCE SURVIVORS.
I WOULD POINT THEM TO CHICAGO
THE PAST ORDINANCE PROVIDING
REPARATIONS TO SURVIVORS OF AN
EGREGIOUS PATTERN OF POLICE
VIOLENCE COMMITTED BY A
PARTICULAR COMMANDER BUT IT IS
A MODEL FOR WHAT RESPONDING TO
POLICE VIOLENCE AND REPAIRING
THE HARM IN COMMUNITIES WHAT IT
COULD LOOK LIKE WHICH WOULD
SAVE MONEY FROM LEGAL DEFENSE
COSTS.
GIVE PEOPLE IMMEDIATE RELIEF,
MAKE STRUCTURAL CHANGES,
PROVIDE PEOPLE WITH HEALING,
TRAUMA SUPPORT, REPAIR,
OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD COMMUNITY
TOGETHER AND SAVE MONEY.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE WHEN WE
TALK ABOUT CUTTING SORT OF
POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGETS THAT
WE ARE NOT CUTTING THEM IN SUCH
A WAY WE ARE HARMING SURVIVORS
BY TARGETING POLICE SETTLEMENT,
OFTEN PEOPLE START NAMING
POLICE SETTLEMENTS IS SOMETHING
THAT'S PART OF THE COST OF
POLICING AND I PROMISE WHEN
POLICE OR PEOPLE TURN TO THAT
MONEY THEY'RE NOT CUTTING THE
MISCONDUCT THERE CUTTING THE
REPAIRS TO SURVIVORS SO WE
FOCUS ON CUTTING BUDGETS WE
NEED TO MAKE SURE WE ARE
KEEPING FUNDS THAT ARE BEING
USED TO REPAIR HARM TO SURVIVORS
BECAUSE UNTIL POLICE NO LONGER
EXIST PEOPLE WHO ARE ARMED BY
THEM WILL DESERVE REPAIR AND
COMPENSATION BUT INSTEAD
RETURNED TO THE MACHINERY THAT
DEFENDS DEPATMENTS AT A COSTLY
RATE.
THAT'S THE BUDGET PART.
WE TALKED ABOUT SHRINKING
DEPARTMENT SIZES THROUGH HIRING
FREEZES, WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT
CANCELING NEW CADET CLASSES.
THERE IS A QUESTION OF
TERMINATING SALARIES AND
PENSIONS OF OFFICERS WHO HAVE
REPEATEDLY OR SERIOUSLY HARM
COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
IN NEW YORK CITY IT'S UNCLEAR
WHY AN OFFICER WHO KILLED IS
PULLING A $140,000 SALARY EVERY
YEAR FOR OFFICERS WHO KILLED
OTHERS, NUMBERS OF OFFICERS ARE
STILL RECEIVING VERY HIGH
SALARIES.
SOMETIMES WE THINK IF WE CUT
THE NUMBERS WE WILL GO WITH THE
FIRST TIRED BUT WE CAN GO
THROUGH OFFICERS AT HIGHER
SALARY LEVELS IF WE DO IT ON
THE RATES AT WHICH THEY COMMIT
VIOLENCE AND THE FACT THAT THEY
SHOULD NO LONGER BE IN THAT
POSITION POWER.
AND THEN THE QUESTION OF
CUTTING UNITS AND CUTTING THE
HOMELESS INTERVENTION OUTREACH
UNIT THE NEW YORK CITY POLICE
DEPARTMENT WHICH IT'S HARD TO
SAY IT BECAUSE I HAVE SEEN THEM
BE ABUSIVE AND HORRIBLE AND
RIPPING HOMELESS PEOPLE OFF
TRAINS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE
CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC AND THEY
ARE UNABLE TO GET UP FROM THE
SIDEWALK AND KICKING THEM.
SO WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO CUT
HOMELESS ABUSE PROGRAMS OR
SWEEPS AND ENCAMPMENTS AND
INSTEAD MOVE THAT MONEY TO
DEFENDING PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE
NEED.
AND THEN SUPPORT AND PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND LONG-
TERM AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO IT'S CUTTING THOSE UNITS AND
IT'S CUTTING QUALITY-OF-LIFE
UNITS, NARCOTICS UNITS AND
REALLOCATING FUNDING TO
COMMUNITY-BASED NONCOERCIVE
MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT, DRUG
TREATMENT, SERVICES AND HOUSING.
ELIMINATING UNITS AND MOVING
MONEY INTO THE REAL SOLUTIONS
OF THE ISSUES OF THOSE UNITS.
AND THEN SHRINKING THE SCOPE
WHICH IS RELATED TO THAT WHICH
IS COMING UP WITH ALTERNATIVE
RESPONSES TO 911.
TAKING POLICE OUT OF SCHOOLS,
COLLEGES, UNIVERSITIES, ETC.
SHUTTING DOWN UNITS TARGETING
PROTESTERS, ELIMINATING
COLLABORATION WITH I.C.E.
SO IF SEATTLE WOULD BE YOUR
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT UNIT UNDER
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THERE'S
NO REASON THAT NEEDS TO BE
HOUSED IN THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT, IT SHOULD BE HOUSED
IN AN AREA WHERE WE ARE FOCUSED
ON SUPPORTING PEOPLE NOT
ABUSING THEM.
AND THEN THE QUESTION OF
EQUIPMENT, WE CAN CUT
EXPENDITURE ON EQUIPMENT
WHETHER THAT SURVEILLANCE,
LICENSE PLATE READER OR OTHER
EQUIPMENT.
THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE THAT WE
DON'T TALK ENOUGH ABOUT IN THE
CONTEXT OF DEFUNDING IS HOW WE
SHRINK POLICE DEPARTMENT POWER.
I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO
YOUR STRATEGY AS LEGISLATORS,
CONTINUING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH
THE STRATEGY OF BUILDING A NEW
PARADIGM OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND
IT IS IMPORTANT TO ACHIEVE IT
BOTH IN TERMS OF THE POLITICAL
WILL MOVING FORWARD AND TO
ENACT THE CHANGE YOU WANT AND
IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO
INTERVENE IN THE LAW
ENFORCEMENT FRATERNAL
ASSOCIATION PROCESS WHICH
CONTROLS EXPENDITURES OF POLICE
DEPARTMENTS. SO I KNOW YOUR
CONTRACT IS COMING UP AND THERE
MIGHT BE WAYS FOR YOU TO MAKE
THOSE NEGOTIATIONS MORE
TRANSPARENT AND AVAILABLE TO
THE PUBLIC AND ALSO TO GIVE
CITY COUNCIL MORE CONTROL AND
FINAL APPROVAL OVER THOSE
CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS AND THAT
WAS SUCCESSFUL IN AUSTIN IN
TERMS OF GETTING CHANGES TO THE
CONTRACT OF THE DEPARTMENT AND
THAT SOMETHING I WOULD INVITE
YOU TO CONSIDER.
THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS
FOLKS ARE TRYING AROUND THE
COUNTRY.
THE LAST THING I WANT TO SAY
WELL TWO THINGS.
THERE ARE SOME PITFALLS ALONG
THE WAY, ONE IS WE WANT TO MAKE
SURE WE ARE NOT MOVING POLICE
FROM ONE CITY DEPARTMENT TO
ANOTHER.
WE ARE NOT MOVING POLICING AS A
PRACTICE FROM POLICE DEPARTMENT
TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES. I HAVE WORKED
WITH SURVIVORS OF POLICE
VIOLENCE IN THE PAST WHO HAVE
SAID PARTICULARLY WHO HAVE
UNMET MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS THEY
HAVE SAID SOMETIMES I CAN'T
TELL THE DIFFERENCE FROM WHEN I
WAS TAKEN IN BY A COP OR A
MENTAL HEALTH WORKER.
SOMETIMES THE JAIL OR THE STATE
HOSPITAL WHERE HE WAS CONFINED,
THEY DON'T FEEL DIFFERENT.
ONE OF THEM THE SHEETS ARE
SLIGHTLY NICER AND ANOTHER
WOMAN TOLD ME SHE SPENT 12
YEARS UNDER THE CONTROL OF
HANDCUFFS AND SHE FELT HER LIFE
WAS CONTROLLED.
SO BE CAREFUL WE ARE NOT
SHIFTING ONE FROM THE OTHER BUT
WE ARE DIVESTING FROM POLICING
AS A PRACTICE AND INVESTING IN
EARLY INTERVENTION, MEETING
NEEDS AND TRANSFORMING
CONDITIONS.
SO I WILL STOP THERE BECAUSE I
KNOW YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
DO WE HAVE QUESTIONS FOR ANDREA
AND WE HAVE COUNCILMEMBER
ELLISON ON THE LINE.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD?
>> I WANT TO UNDERSTAND MORE
ABOUT HOW CUTTING SPECIALIZED
UNITS AS YOU DESCRIBED RESULTS
IN BUDGET CUTS.
YOU CAN CUT THE UNIT BUT HAVE
ELIMINATED THE POSITIONS, TO MY
UNDERSTANDING YOU WILL NOT
RECEIVE SAVINGS AND SO THEN
THAT GETS INTO THE QUESTION OF
WHETHER OR NOT YOU DO AS I HEARD
DESCRIBED, YOU SHRINK THE
NUMBER OF OFFICERS THROUGH
HIRING FREEZES AND ATTRITION OR
WHETHER OR NOT YOU LOOK AT
TIMES LIKE THE TIMES WE ARE IN
RIGHT NOW WHERE WE HAVE A
REVENUE CRISIS THAT IS GOING TO
AFFECT OUR ABILITY TO FUND
SALARIES FOR CITY EMPLOYEES
ACROSS THE CITY AND WHETHER OR
NOT WE LOOK AT THAT PROBLEM WE
HAVE NOW AND LOOK AT REDUCING
THE NUMBER OF OFFICERS THAT WE
HAVE WORKING NOW IN ORDER TO
CAPTURE THE SAVINGS FROM
ELIMINATING PARTICULAR
SPECIALTY UNITS.
>> WHEN I TALK ABOUT ELIMINATING
A UNIT ARE TALKING ABOUT
ELIMINATING THE POSITION AND
THE OVERHEAD ASSOCIATED.
BY CREATING A TASK FORCE HAS
ITS OWN STRUCTURE AROUND THIS,
NOT JUST THE OFFICERS INVOLVED,
IT'S ABOUT THE EQUIPMENT, THE
ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT AND THE
STRUCTURE BUT THERE'S NO
QUESTION IN ORDER TO SHRINK
POLICE DEPARTMENT'S WE HAVE TO
CUT POSITIONS AND WE HAD TO
FIGURE OUT A REENTRY PROGRAM
FOR POLICE, SO THEY DON'T JUST
TRANSFER AND ENGAGE IN THE SAME
PRACTICES IN A DIFFERENT ENTITY.
WHETHER IT'S A STATE DEPARTMENT
OR PRIVATE SECURITY.
>> CAN YOU SPEAK TO THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SHRINKING
THE NUMBER OF POLICE OFFICERS
THAT A DEPARTMENT HAS BY HIRING
FREEZE AND ATTRITION VERSUS
LAYOFFS AS A RELATES TO LAYOFFS
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU HAVE FOR
A CITY WHO IS QUESTIONING
WHETHER OR NOT IN THIS MOMENT
WE NEED TO SHRINK THE NUMBER OF
OFFICERS THAT WE HAVE IN POLICE
DEPARTMENTS.
>> IF YOU CAN ACHIEVE BY NOT
HIRING NEW POSITIONS OR THROUGH
ATTRITION BEEN GREAT BUT
ULTIMATELY IT'S NOT JUST A
BUDGETARY EXERCISE.
IT'S ABOUT MAKING A POLITICAL
DECISION, TO SAY WE DON'T NEED
POLICE RESPONDING TO PEOPLE
WITHOUT HOMES AND FAMILIES WE
LAYOFF POLICE WHO ARE IN CHARGE
OF RESPONDING TO PEOPLE WITHOUT
HOMES THEN WE DON'T NEED THEM.
IT'S LIKE LAYING OFF ANY OTHER
CITY EMPLOYEE.
MAYBE AT SOME POINT THERE WAS A
TUBERCULOSIS DEPARTMENT OF THE
PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND AT
SOME POINT IT BECAME UNDER
CONTROL SO WE TREATED IN A
DIFFERENT WAY AND THAT
DEPARTMENT CLOSED SO THAT'S
WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT.
>> ARE ANY JURISDICTIONS DOING
THAT?
>> IN TERMS OF CUTTING UNITS?
>> ACHIEVING THE SAVINGS FROM
CUTTING THE UNITS BY LAYING OFF
OFFICERS.
>> CERTAINLY I HAVE HEARD OF
HIRING FREEZES AND CADET
FREEZES AND ATTRITION BECAUSE I
THINK WE ARE NOT AT THE POINT
WHERE THE ONLY WAY IS TO LAY
OFF OFFICERS.
NOW PEOPLE ARE CUTTING THE FAT
OR THE EASIER THINGS TO CUT
WITHOUT GOING TO THE HEART OF
LAW ENFORCEMENT BUT WE WILL
NEED TO GO THERE.
SO I THINK IT DOES REQUIRE
THINKING ABOUT IT FOR SURE.
>> THANK YOU.
APPRECIATE IT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS I
THINK YOU HAD A QUESTION.
>> I HAD A COUPLE STATEMENTS
AND QUESTIONS FOR THE LAST
PANEL AND I INCLUDED MY
QUESTIONS SO I'M GLAD I HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO WATCH THE
PRESENTATION.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AND ALL
OF THESE CONVERSATIONS AS WE
TALK ABOUT DEFUNDING POLICE WE
ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT REDUCING
PUBLIC SAFETY.
IN FACT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
INCREASING PUBLIC SAFETY.
I HEARD FROM SUPERINTENDENT
WALTON, WHAT I READ IN THE PAPER
ABOUT SAN FRANCISCO'S
NONCRIMINAL CALLS WILL BE
RESPONDED TO BY OFFICERS OR
CIVILIANS THAT DO NOT HAVE GUNS
, WHAT I HEARD FROM
COUNCILMEMBER LANDER THE STORY
ABOUT WHAT SOMEBODY DIALED 911
THEY HAD POLICE SHOW UP RATHER
THAN THE MEDIC.
WHAT I HEARD FROM COUNCILMEMBER
ELLISON IS YOU KNOW THEY ARE
STARTING UP A DEPARTMENT OF
PUBLIC SAFETY.
THIS IS A CRITICAL IN THE
CONVERSATION WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
DEFUNDING THE POLICE WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT INCREASING
RESPONSIVENESS TO THE THINGS
PEOPLE ARE CALLING ABOUT.
SO TAKE YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR
CONVERSATIONS AS WELL, ANDREA,
WHAT ARE YOUR SUGGESTIONS ON
HOW WE INCREASE PUBLIC SAFETY
BY REDIRECTING RESOURCES?
IT'S IMPORTANT FOR EVERYONE
WATCHING AT HOME OR
PARTICIPATING IN THE PANEL THAT
THE CENTER OF THE CONVERSATION,
THE FOCUS OF THE CONVERSATION
IS THAT WE WILL STILL HAVE
SOMEONE SHOW UP TO YOUR HOME OR
TO WHERE YOU ARE AND RESPOND
WHEN YOU DIAL 911.
THE FOCUS OF THIS CONVERSATION
IS WHO IS THE MOST APPROPRIATE
PERSON TO SHOW UP AND HOW CAN
THEY SUPPORT IN THE BEST WAY
POSSIBLE? FOR ME THAT'S THE
FOCUS.
SO ANYONE ON THE PANEL AND
ANDREA PLEASE IF YOU HAVE
SUGGESTIONS OR BEST PRACTICES
ON INCREASING PUBLIC SAFETY BY
REDIRECTING RESOURCES I WOULD
LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS.
>> I WOULD SAY FIRST WE HAVE TO
INCLUDE POLICE VIOLENCE AND OUR
CONCEPTION OF VIOLENCE.
SO WE WILL INCREASE PUBLIC
SAFETY BY HAVING SOMEONE ELSE
WHO IS NOT AN ARMED UNIFORMED
PERSON WITH A LIMITED NUMBER OF
SKILLS WHEN IT COMES TO PEOPLE
WITH UNMET MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS
TO BE THE PERSON TO RESPOND
WITH PEOPLE UNMET MENTAL HEALTH
NEEDS.
HALF OF THE PEOPLE KILLED BY
POLICE IN THE COUNTRY ARE
PERCEIVED TO BE IN MENTAL
HEALTH CRISIS AT THE TIME THEY
ARE KILLED SO WE COULD CUT THAT
NUMBER IN HALF BY HAVING
SOMEONE ELSE RESPOND AND
HOPEFULLY NOT IN A WAY THAT
FEELS SIMILAR TO THE PERSON
EXPERIENCING IT IN TERMS OF
VIOLENCE BY MEDICAL PROVIDERS.
SO WE ARE INCREASING PUBLIC
SAFETY IN THAT RESPECT FOR
INSTANCE.
I THINK WE ALSO HAD TO STEP
BACK FROM MOMENTS OF CRISES AND
CREATE CONDITIONS WHERE WE ARE
NOT HITTING MOMENTS OF CRISIS
WHERE WE NEED PEOPLE TO SHOW UP
AT THE DOOR RIGHT AWAY.
NOW THERE IS A FLASH POINT AND
WE NEED A RESPONSE IMMEDIATELY
BECAUSE USUALLY SOMEONE CANNOT
GET THERE FAST ENOUGH AND OFTEN
POLICE ARE RESPONDING TO CALLS
AND TAKING REPORTS AFTER
VIOLENCE HAPPENED SO WE WANT TO
MAKE SURE WE DON'T GET TO THAT
POINT.
WE WANT TO GET TO THE POINT AS
SOME ONE IS EXPECTING MENTAL
HEALTH NEEDS OR HAS AN ECONOMIC
CRISIS WAS EXPERIENCING A
CONFLICT IN THEIR HOME THEY
CAN'T MANAGE OR A RELATIONSHIP
THEY CANNOT MANAGE, IMMEDIATELY
THERE WERE OPTIONS FOR THEM TO
ACCESS IMMEDIATELY THAT MAKE IT
SIMPLE THAT DO NOT REQUIRE YOU
TO THINK ABOUT WHETHER SOMEONE
WILL GO TO JAIL OR GET DEPORTED
OR GET KILLED IF YOU CALL FOR
HELP.
IMMEDIATELY EVERYWHERE YOU GO
YOU CAN FIND A SOLUTION THAT
SUITS YOUR SITUATION AND IT
WORKS FOR YOU.
YOU CAN WALK DOWN THE BLOCK TO
THE MEDIATION CENTER AND YOU
CAN SEE MY ROOMMATE AND I HAVE
BEEN GETTING INTO IT AND IT
FEELS UNSAFE OR YOU CAN GO TO
THE LOCAL WOMEN'S CENTER AND BE
LIKE I DON'T LIKE HOW THIS
RELATIONSHIP IS FEELING.
I FEEL LIKE I'M LOSING
CONNECTION WITH MY FAMILY,
THINGS ARE HAPPENING SO TO
REALLY MOVE BACK AND ALSO TO
REALIZE WHAT I HEAR MOST
SURVIVORS OF VIOLENCE SAY IN
STUDIES SHOW THE THING THAT
WOULD HELP THE MOST TO HELP
AVOID AND PREVENT VIOLENCE IS
HOUSING.
IF THEY COULD JUST HAVE HOUSING
THAT WAS THEIRS UNDER THEIR
CONTROL THAN THEY COULD EXCLUDE
PEOPLE WHO WERE VIOLENT.
UNFORTUNATELY THAT'S OFTEN NOT
THE CASE.
OR INCOME SUPPORT OR HEALTH
CARE.
I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THE
INVESTMENT PIECE IS ABOUT
PREVENTING US FROM GETTING
CRISIS SUPPORT, SO THERE ARE
MANY PROGRAMS, ONE IN NEW YORK
CITY AND MANY ACROSS THE COUNTRY
ONE OF THEM IN NEW YORK CITY
THAT IS UNDERFUNDED NOW NO
LONGER WORKING BECAUSE IT
CANNOT GET FUNDING WOULD ALLOW
PEOPLE EXPERIENCING THE
BEGINNINGS OF A PSYCHIATRIC
CRISIS TO WALK IN SOMEWHERE AND
NOT BE FORCED TO TAKE
MEDICATION OR DO ANYTHING BUT
JUST HAVE A BREAK.
A PLACE TO CHILL, TO REST, A
PLACE TO SLEEP AND TAKE A BREAK.
WHATEVER TREATMENT THEY WANTED
THEY COULD GET BUT NONE OF IT
WAS FORCED.
THAT RESOURCE WAS TAKEN AWAY SO
NOW PEOPLE GET TO A POINT OF
CRISIS TO HAVE SOMEONE SHOW UP.
SO I WANT TO MOVE BACK TO THE
THINGS WE NEED TO NOT GO TO
CRISIS.
AND I KNOW THERE ARE QUESTIONS
ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND I
WANT TO SAY A FEW THINGS ABOUT
THAT.
HALF OF SURVIVORS OF VIOLENCE
AT MOST, AND MOST EVER CALL THE
POLICE.
AND ANOTHER HALF DROP OUT OF
ANY KIND OF PROCESS BEFORE IT
GETS TO A GRAND JURY.
SO WE ARE ALREADY TALKING ABOUT
A SOLUTION THAT DOES NOT
ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF 75% OF
SURVIVORS AND THAT'S
UNDERESTIMATING.
IF WE TALK ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY
WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT PRODUCING
PUBLIC SAFETY.
I ALSO NOTICED A SIGNIFICANT
PROPORTION OF POLICE VIOLENCE
AGAINST WOMEN AND TRANS PEOPLE
ARE WHEN POLICE ARE RESPONDING
TO CALLS FOR HELP SO WE HAVE TO
FACTOR POLICE VIOLENCE INTO
THIS VIOLENCE AND I CAN TURN
INTO CRIMINALIZATION.
VERY SURVIVOR ENDS UP BEING
CRIMINALIZED, SO I THINK WHEN
WE THINK ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY WE
HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WHAT
HAPPENS WHEN POLICE RESPOND.
YOU RECENTLY HAD A TRAGIC OVER
SOMEONE ENDED UP DEAD AT THE
END AND IT WAS A HUGE RISK TO A
TODDLER.
NOBODY WANTS ANY OF THAT SO WE
WANT TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO
PREVENT THAT.
IN SEATTLE DB CALLS MAKEUP 3%
OF CALLS, 15% ARE TRAFFIC, 50%
DISORDERLY CONDUCT SO 40 TO 50%
CALLS COULD BE HANDLED BY
SOMEONE ELSE.
THERE IS 40% OF THE BUDGET.
THERE ARE COMMUNITY-BASED
RESPONSES TO VIOLENCE ALREADY,
NEIGHBORS DE-ESCALATE CONFLICT,
FAMILY MEMBERS MEDIATE, PEOPLE
CALL ON RELATIONSHIPS FOR
PEOPLE TRUSTED IN THE COMMUNITY,
CREDIBLE MESSENGERS.
VIOLENCE INTERRUPTERS, BUT NONE
OF THAT IS RESOURCED SO THERE
IS A HIGHLY RESOURCED $100
BILLION PER YEAR RESPONSE AND
THOSE THAT ARE WORTH THAT ARE
NOT RESOURCED SO THE STRATEGY
IS ABOUT MOVING TO RESOURCING
MORE EFFECTIVE RESPONSES.
I HOPE THAT'S HELPFUL IN
REFRAMING THAT.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
YOUR RESEARCH IS INCREDIBLE, WE
APPRECIATE YOU PROVIDING A
CONGLOMERATION OF WHAT CITIES
HAVE DONE OR SHOULD DO.
I KNOW YOU HAD A SLIDE DECK
PRESENTATION YOU'RE GOING TO
SEND AFTERWARDS SO WHAT WE WILL
DO IS TAKE THAT AND USE OUR PENS
TO IDENTIFY THE ITEMS YOU
TALKED ABOUT.
YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED 45% TO 50%
AND THAT IS GOING TO BE
HELPFUL.
BEFORE WE MOVE ON WAS THERE ANY
QUESTIONS I DID NOT GET TO?
COUNCILMEMBER MORAELS?
>> I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU
SO MUCH.
YOU HAVE GIVEN US A LOT OF FOOD
FOR THOUGHT.
A LOT OF THE ISSUES YOU RAISED
ARE QUESTIONS WE ARE ASKING
OURSELVES ABOUT HOW TO PROCEED.
YOU KNOW, THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
INCIDENT YOU MENTIONED HAPPENED
IN MY DISTRICT.
I LIVE IN SOUTHEAST SEATTLE, SO
THESE ARE CERTAINLY ISSUES THAT
WE ARE SEEING FAR TOO OFTEN AND
THE INTERACTION OF COMMUNITY
MEMBERS WITH POLICE THAT HAVE
THESE NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES,
TRAUMATIC CONSEQUENCES, AS YOU
KNOW LEAVE LONG-STANDING TRAUMA
AND OUR COMMUNITY AND WITH
NEIGHBORS.
SO WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT
THE RIGHT STEP IS.
A LOT OF THE KINDS OF PROGRAMS
YOU MENTIONED, VIOLENCE
INTERRUPTION PROGRAMS AND YOU
KNOW OTHER KINDS OF PROGRAMS
THAT ARE OUT THERE TO PROVIDE
THE SORT OF RESPONSES THAT
COULD ELIMINATE THE NEED FOR
POLICE RESPONSE ARE ALSO IN MY
DISTRICT.
SO I'M REALLY ADVOCATING, NOT
JUST WITHIN THE POLICE,
DEFUNDING THE POLICE
CONVERSATION BUT IN THE BUDGET
RELOCATION AND WHAT WE ARE
DOING OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL
MONTHS.
TO MAKE SURE, AS YOU SAID,
THESE PROGRAMS THAT ARE
EFFECTIVE GET RESOURCED SO THEY
CAN SCALE UP BECAUSE A LOT OF
GROUPS WE HAVE, THEY KNOW WHO
THE INDIVIDUAL SHOOTERS ARE FOR
EXAMPLE.
WE KNOW WHO THEY ARE.
WE NEED THE RESOURCES TO
INTERVENE AND KEEP THEM OUT OF
DANGER AND PROVIDE THEM WITH
SERVICES THAT COULD HELP THEM
GET ON THE RIGHT PATH WHETHER
IT'S JOB-TRAINING OR
EDUCATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH
COUNSELING OR SUBSTANCE ABUSE
OR WHATEVER THEIR FAMILIES NEED
SO THEY GET OUT OF THE
SITUATION.
WE KNOW WHAT THESE PROGRAMS ARE
AND AS YOU SAID WE NEED TO STOP
FUNDING THE THINGS THAT DON'T
WORK AND MAKE SURE WE ARE
SUPPORTING OUR NEIGHBORS.
I WILL CERTAINLY BE INTERESTED
IN FOLLOWING UP WITH YOU AND
GETTING SPECIFIC INFORMATION
ABOUT HOW WE DO THAT BEST.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING
HERE.
>> I WANT TO ADD ONE THING
ABOUT JOB TRAINING, THERE'S NO
POINT IN JOB-TRAINING IF
THERE'S NO JOB.
A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE SKILLS
FROM BEING ENTREPRENEURS AND
CRIMINALIZED MARKETS THAT ARE
NOW NO LONGER CRIMINALIZED AND
THEY ARE BARRED FROM THOSE
MARKETS SO THAT'S A FORM OF
REPARATION.
PEOPLE HAVE DONE A LOT OF TIME
AND HAVE BEEN SHUT OUT OF
ECONOMIES.
>> I HAD A YOUNG MAN WHO HAD
BEEN SELLING DRUGS HELPING ME
ON MY CAMPAIGN BECAUSE HE'S
REALLY GOOD AT TALKING TO
PEOPLE.
>> A LOT OF SKILLS ARE
TRANSFERABLE.
>> LOOKING TO SEE IF THERE ARE
ANY OTHER COUNCILMEMBERS?
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR SHARING
THOSE TANGIBLE EXAMPLES AND FOR
ALL THE WORK YOU HAVE DONE.
REALLY EXCITED THAT YOU ARE
HERE.
PART OF MY STAFF QUICKLY GOT
CONFIRMATION FROM YOU AND WE
WERE EXCITED TO HAVE YOU AND
THANK YOU.
WE WILL CIRCULATE THAT
POWERPOINT AND THERE IS A
DOCUMENT WE CIRCULATED TODAY
THAT HAS A LINK TO HOW
DEFENDING AND REINVESTMENTS CAN
BE DONE SO YOU HAVE ACCESS TO
THAT PDF NOW IN YOUR INBOX.
I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU ANDREA
AND
WHERE WE DIRECTED FROM LAPLAND
BLACK LEAD LEADERS AT AN EVENT
AT THE RECEIVING END OF POLICE
VIOLENCE THERE ENTIRE LIVES BY
THE SHEER FACT THAT THEY ARE
BLACK'S COUNSEL I HOPE WILL
SEND A STRONG MESSAGE
SOLIDARITY TO THOSE LEADERS,
ESPECIALLY THE
BLACK ELECTED LEADERS WITH US
AS GUESTS, HAVE A STRONG TRACK
RECORD OF BEING ADVOCATES,
BEING FIERCE FIGHTERS FOR
CHANGE, AND DOING SO NOT JUST
PRIOR TO COUNSEL, BUT ON
CANCELING ESPECIALLY NOW, WE
LOOK TO BE LISTENING TO THOSE
BLACK LEAD HEATERS AND THE
ORGANIZATIONS THEY ARE CALLING
FOR ACTION.
IN DOING LIKE WHAT MEMBER I
LISTEN BEST ACCOUNTS ARE BLACK
AND THAT NONE OF US EXPERIENCES
THE AVERAGE AMERICAN SPRINT IS
YOUR IDEAL BASIS AS WE INVITE
PEOPLE TO GUESS HERE AT THE
SAME COUNSEL, I HOPE WAS IN
FRONT OF THE FACT THAT WE ARE
NOT LIKE OURSELVES, WE SHOULD
LISTEN TO BLACK LEAD THE
ORGANIZATION AND
THOSE WHO ARE STEPPING OUT AND
GETTING THINGS ACROSS COUNTRY
LINK YOU COUNCILMEMBER ADAMS
BEING HERE WITH US THIS IS A
MILITARIZED AND IN TWO ACTING,
INCORPORATING INTO OUR ACTION
WILL FROM NEW YORK, AUSTIN, SAN
FRANCISCO ANNAPOLIS, ON THE
EPICENTER OF WHERE THIS TYPE OF
VIOLENCE WAS EXPOSED AND I DID
MOBILE CALLS TO ACTION IF I
HAVE LEASES THAT HAVE FOR
DECADES: PROTECTION HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO TEACH OTHER CARS
TRULY PUT INTO ACTION SOME OF
THE STRATEGIES THAT ANDREA IS A
SHARE THAT PRESENTATION.
WHAT WE ARE CALLED TO DO IS
TAKE THOSE VISIONS ACTION ON
THIS PROJECT AS AN INTENT TO
MONDAYS AGO, EVERY SINGLE
COUNCILPERSON COMMITTED TO HIS
VISIT?
CAN MASSIVELY RESTRUCTURE AND
REALLOCATE FUNDING STREAM
DECREASED INTO THE BUDGET.
IS A HIM THAT HIS COUNSEL HAS
ALREADY TALKED ABOUT WE ARE
COMMITTING TO MAKING SURE THAT
WE MAKE THIS ACTIONABLE IS
INHERENT IF THAT WOULD LISTEN
TO THE BLACK LEADERS, LIKE
COUNCIL MEMBER LISTEN. WITH
THAT I HAVE PROCLAMATION FROM
OUR PRESIDENT I WILL TURN IT
OVER TO HER.
AGAIN, THE INJURY ACCURATE ANY
OTHER FINAL COMMENTS?
YES, THANK YOU.
I WANT TO LIFT UP THE ELECTED
POSITIONS IN SEATTLE AND AROUND
THE COUNTRY WHO HAD.
THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING AND I
WISH YOU THE BEST ONGOING
LIBERATION
>> WILL LEAN ON YOU FROM MORE
ADVICE AND DIRECTION AS WE MOVE
FORWARD COUNCIL PRESIDENT, THE
PARTICULAR THE AGENDA ITEM.
THIS IS GOING FORWARD.
>> MICROPHONE TWO CHANGES ARE
YOU ALL?
COMES UP, THUMBS UP WITH
TECHNOLOGY SO HERE SO I CAN GET
TO THIS SOME SEMBLANCE OF
HESITATION, I'M PROUD TO
RECOGNIZE AND TEAM REGULARLY
CANCEL SIGNATURE AND I WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THIS WAS DRAFTED AND
MY STAFF IS THAT OUR LACK. OUR
FIRST SEMINAR BLACK STACKERS AS
WILLING TO PRESENT THIS
PROCLAMATION AND THE CHARGE OF
DRAFTING THIS PROCLAMATION WILL
AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE
GETTING VOICE POOR OUR STAFF WHO
ARE REALLY STRUGGLING THIS.
IF AS WELL. I WANT TO THANK
BREANNA THOMAS FOR WORKING WITH
US THROUGH THIS POCKLINGTON AND
I ALSO WANT TO LIFT UP ALL OF
OUR LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT
STAFF THAT ARE PART OF THE
GLOBAL BLACK COMMUNITY WHO HAVE
REALLY HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE TO
OUR OWN VALUES. THIS IS AN
HONOR OF THEM AND ALL OF OUR
OTHER CITY OF SEATTLE PARTNERS
IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THE BLACK
COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
AND JUNETEENTH RECOGNIZES AND
COMMEMOATES THE DAY JUNE 19TH
1865.
ENSLAVED AMERICANS WERE
INFORMED THAT THEY WERE FREE.
ENDING 246 YEARS OF SLAVERY.
AND SLAVERY HAD BEEN ABOLISHED
THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES.
WHEN PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LEAKING
ENACTED THE SUMMATION
PROCLAMATION IN 1863,
RESISTANCE TO THE EXECUTIVE
ORDER SIGNIFICANTLY BECAUSE
AFTER THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE
FREEDOM OF AN AMERICAN MEN AND
WOMEN IN THE STATE OF TEXAS,
THE FIRST JUNETEENTH
INDEPENDENCE DAY AND JUNETEENTH
CELEBRATIONS WOULD LATER SPREAD
TO ALL CORNERS OF THE COUNTRY,
INCLUDING HERE IN SEATTLE.
JUNETEENTH IS THE CLOSEST
OCCASION OF A FREEDOM DAY TO
CELEBRATE.
THE WORK OF BLACK LIBERATION
RANGES ACROSS THE COUNTRY,
ACROSS TIME AND ACROSS MULTIPLE
LAYERS OF IDENTITY, BECAUSE THE
BLACK EXPERIENCE IS NOT A
MONOLITH.
BLACK LEADERS AT STONEWALL, A
PHILIP RANDOLPH FIGHTING FOR THE
DIGNITY OF WORKERS, CONTINUED
VIOLENCE AGAINST THE BLACK
FRIENDS COMMUNITY ECLIPSES
NATIONAL AVERAGES OF ASSAULT,
HARASSMENT, INTIMATION AND
MURDER.
THE PROBLEM GOES ON TO
RECOGNIZE THE THOSE IN OUR OWN
COMMUNITY WHO HAVE PLAYED A
HUGE ROLE IN FIGHTING FOR THE
LIBERATION OF PEOPLE HERE IN THE
CITY OF SEATTLE AND COUNTRY,
INCLUDING BLACK LIVES MATTER,
MOTHERS FOR POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY, COMMUNITY
PASSAGEWAYS, CREATIVE JUSTICE,
THE ACLU LOT WASHINGTON, THE
NAACP, EQUAL RIGHTS WASHINGTON,
PHILIP VILLAGE OF HOPE, AND THE
COUNTLESS FAMILIES OF THOSE LOST
TO POLICE VIOLENCE AND MURDER.
WE, THE SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL
WOULD LIKE TO PROCLAIM AND
RECOGNIZE JUNE 19TH 2020 AS
JUNETEENTH IN SEATTLE, HONORING
ITS HISTORIC
IMPORTANCE AND ACKNOWLEDGING
THE WORK STILL TO COME AND
ENCOURAGING ALL RESIDENTS TO
JOIN US IN ITS CELEBRATION,
BECAUSE FREEDOM IS WORTH
CELEBRATING.
I WOULD LIKE TO END BY SAYING
WE WOULD LIKE TO DEDICATE THE
CITY COUNCIL BY SIGNING THIS
PROCLAMATION, DEDICATE THIS
PROCLAMATION TO THE BLACK
EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF
SEATTLE IN HONOR OF THEIR MANY
SACRIFICES AND COMMITMENT TO
THIS COMMUNITY, AND DEVOTED
SERVICE TO OUR CONSTITUENTS AND
ALL THE PEOPLE LIVE AND WORK IN
THIS GREAT CITY.
WITH THAT SAID I WOULD LIKE TO
HAND IT BACK TO THE CHAIR TO
LEAD US THROUGH THE PROCESS OF
GARNERING SIGNATURES WHEN FOLKS
HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE
COMMENTS.
>> THANK YOU, I SAW THE COUNCIL
MEMBER RAISE THEIR HAND.
COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS?
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AT
MADAM PRESIDENT FOR BRINGING
THIS FORWARD.
I WANT TO RECOGNIZE HOW THIS
PROCLAMATION WAS BROUGHT
TOGETHER.
I COULD NOT THE MORE GRATEFUL
FOR THE WORK THAT OUR STAFF
WORKS ON, IN ADDITION TO THE
SOCIAL JUSTICE LEGISLATION THAT
WE ARE DOING NOW AND THE
PREMIUM PAY LEGISLATION. I
WANT TO RECOGNIZE HER WORK ON
THIS.
>> THANK YOU AND THANK YOU TO
YOUR TEAM AS WELL. YOU THINK
YOU CAN COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE MY
STAFF THAT HELPS WITH THIS.
LAKISHA FARMER HAS BEEN DEEPLY
INVOLVED IN A LOT OF THE
ORGANIZING WORK IN OUR
COMMUNITY AND HAS REALLY HELPED
TO PUSH OUR OFFICE AS HE SAID TO
HOLD TRUE TO OUR VALUES AND
LOOK FOR WAYS TO IMPLEMENT OR
TAKE ACTION THAT SAID, THEY DID
ASK ME TO SURE TO SHARE SOME OF
THE EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING.
I'M SURE THERE ARE MANY.
WE HAVE INFORMATION ABOUT THREE.
FOLKS ARE INTERESTED IN HELPING
CELEBRATE.
FIRST, THERE ISN'T EVENT
ORGANIZED, THE NEXT PART, THERE
WAS A MARCH, GET YOUR KNEES OFF
OUR NECK MARCH, AND BOTH SIMPLY.
THE MARCH WILL STEP OFF STARTING
AT 22ND AND MEDICINE. THAT'S
AT 2:00 ON FRIDAY.
THE MARCH FOR JUSTICE AND
EQUITY, THAT'S GOING TO BE AT
WEST WOODLAND PARK PLAYGROUND.
THAT IS SCHEDULED TO GO FROM 11
TILL 2:00 P.M.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER
ALEX.
>> WE ARE HAPPY TO THINK AS A
GROUP AND SHARE THAT INFORMATION
. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING
FORWARD THIS PROCLAMATION.
THIS IS A REALLY WAY FOR US TO
PUT INTO PRACTICE THIS ONGOING
COMMITMENT THAT WE HAVE TO LIFT
UP BLACK VOICES AND NOT LET
HISTORY BE REWRITTEN.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR, COUNCIL
MEMBER, FOR BRINGING UP THE PARK
DISTRICTS SIX.
THANK YOU, MARCUS, FOR
ORGANIZING THIS DISTRICT SIXTH
EVENT
AMANDA BROWN, I WOULD LIKE TO
RECOGNIZE HER WORK, THANK YOU
ALL, THANK YOU CHAIR.
>> ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS?
SEEING, COUNCIL PRESIDENT,
PLEASE CLOSE THIS OUT.
>> I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO
EVERYBODY WHO HAS SPOKEN ABOUT
THIS ISSUE, THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR HIGHLIGHTING THE EVENTS
THAT ARE HAVE ON JUNETEENTH,
WRITING OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE
. DON'T FORGET TO WEAR YOUR
MASKS.
I ALSO JUST THINK IT IS
IMPORTANT TO KNOWLEDGE THE
BLACK VOICES THAT EXISTS OUR
STAFF AND WITH OUR OWN CITY.
AND WITH THE CITY OF SEATTLE
AND THE FAMILY. THE ONGOING
ISSUES OF FIGHTING TO DISMANTLE
TO DISMANTLE INSTITUTIONAL
RACISM NOT JUST, THEY ARE NOT
HYPOTHETICAL, THE IMPACT,
PERSONALLY IMPACT SO MANY OF
OUR THOUSANDS OF EMPLOYEES WITH
THE CITY OF SEATTLE, OUR
LEGISLATIVE STAFF, I WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE IN THE SAME VEIN
THAT COUNCIL MEMBER STRAUSS HAS
ACKNOWLEDGED, THE TREMENDOUS
CONTRIBUTIONS THAT STAFF
PROVIDE TO US EVERY DAY.
AND THE TREMENDOUS WORK AT OUR
LEGISLATIVE STAFF.
THEY ARE FROM THE LACK
COMMUNITY, AND THEY CONTRIBUTE
TO COMING TOGETHER AND PUTTING
TOGETHER THIS PROCLAMATION IN A
WAY THAT REALLY HONORS THEIR
VOICES, AND OTHER BLACK STAFF
AND THOSE THAT THE CITY OF
SEATTLE ARE HUMBLING.
I'M HAPPY TO BE THE PERSON TO
PRESENT IT YOU ALL.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY
TO PRESENT AND READ DIRECTLY
FROM THE PROCLAMATION.
THE STAFF ON OUR FLOOR, I
REALLY FORWARD TO BEING ABLE TO
SHARE AN OPPORTUNITY WITH
OTHERS WE SEE COUNSEL TO ALSO
PROVIDE VOICE TO WHAT WE CAN
DO.
WE GET TO TAKE CREDIT, BUT THEY
ARE THE ONES DOING ALL THE WORK
IN THE BACKGROUND.
FOR THAT, I AM GRATEFUL.
AND I'M HUMBLED.
I'VE ALSO HAD THAT I'VE RECEIVED
MESSAGESFROM COLLEAGUES WHO ARE
NO LONGER ON THE CALL.
COUNCIL MEMBER KSHAMA SAWANT,
CUSTOMER AWARENESS,
THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THEIR
NAMES ADDED TO THE
PROCLAMATION.
JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT IN OPEN
SESSION.
AND BEFORE WE DO A ROLL CALL.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, I WILL
HAND IT OVER TO YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
WITH THAT, WHY DON'T
WE TURN THAT OVER TO THE CLERK
TO CALL THE ROLE.
PETERSON, STRAUSS.
HERBOLD. WERE AS.
LEWIS?
GONZALES?
CHAIR?
EIGHT IN FAVOR AND NONE
OPPOSED, NOT INCLUDING COUNCIL
MEMBER KSHAMA SAWANT.
>> THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS
FORWARD TO THE STAFF AND THE
COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
AT THIS TIME WE ARE DONE WITH
OUR COUNSEL AND THE AGENDA FOR
THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON THE
BUDGET. AN HOUR BREAK.
I APPRECIATE YOU ALL WE WILL DO
OUR
BEST TO TRY TO GET YOU MORE
THAN A ONE HOUR BREAK IN THE
FUTURE.
AND USUALLY OUR BUDGET SESSIONS,
ONLINE, I RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE
WORKING UNDER A VERY STRESSFUL.
WE ARE GRAPPLING WITH THE
CONSEQUENT SENSE OF THE
PANDEMIC.
AND WE CONSTANTLY SEEN DUTIES OF
COLOR AND BLACK INDIVIDUALS
BEING ABUSED IN OUR OWN STREET
THE EXCESSIVE FORCE OF OUR
POLICE AND THE CONSEQUENCE OF
US NOW SAYING THAT WE WERE
GOING TO CALL, RESPOND TO THE
CALL FOR ACTION, IT HAS BEEN A
LONG PROCESS. I WANT TO THANK
YOU, STAFF AND CENTRAL STAFF,
THESE MEETINGS ARE GOING TO BE
LONG ON WEDNESDAYS, BUT I WILL
DO MY BEST TO GET YOU A BREAK
IN THE MIDDLE GOING FORWARD.
THANK YOU, WITH THAT, A
REMINDER, THE NEXT WEDNESDAY
MEETING IS ON THE 24TH.
THAT WILL START AT 10:00 A.M.
AND THEN WE WILL HAVE A 2:00
P.M.
SESSION.
IN THE MORNING TO DISCUSS
PROGRESSIVE REVENUE PROPOSALS
AND IDEALLY WE WILL DISCUSS THE
BUDGET.
WE ARE AWAITING THE MAYOR'S
PROPOSED BUDGETS.
WE HAVE A STRONG CALL TO ACTION
BASED ON THE CONVERSATIONS THAT
WE HAD WITH ELECTED LEADERS AND
THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE GOT
THIS AFTERNOON. THANK YOU TO
ALL OF THE PEOPLE SIGNING IN
FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
NEXT WEDNESDAY, THERE WILL BE
ONE LINK.
WE ARE NOT GOING TO ALLOW
PUBLIC TESTIMONIES, BECAUSE WE
WANT TO HEAR FROM AS MANY
PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE.
WE WILL KEEP IT AT THAT.
THERE IS ONE AGENDA, AND WE
WILL LET YOU KNOW WHAT THE
AGENDA IS AS SOON WE SEE THE
BUDGET. IF THERE'S NOTHING
ELSE, FOR THE GOOD OF THE
ORDER, I HEARD IT WAS THE
COUNCIL MEMBERS BIRTHDAY
RECENTLY.
>> I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU
FOR A GOOD MEETING. I THOUGHT
IT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE, I
APPRECIATE YOU INVITING OUR
COLLEAGUES FROM ACROSS THE
COUNTRY TO SHARE SOME OF THE
WORK AND THE STRUGGLES THAT
THEY'VE HAD, I THINK IT REALLY
DOES HIGHLIGHT THAT SEATTLE WAS
AN OUTLIER IN THIS REGARD, WE
CERTAINLY LEAD THE WAY A LOT OF
TIMES. I SEND MY SINCERE
GRATITUDE FOR YOU TAKING YOUR
TIME TO JOIN US THIS AFTERNOON.
AND DIGGING INTO HOPEFULLY WHAT
IS A REBALANCING PACKAGE THAT
WE CAN TAKE A HARD LOOK AT, I
APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP ON
ALL OF THIS, THANK YOU
>> WE ARE GOING TO ADJOURN.
WE WILL SEE YOU ALL. THANK YOU
FOR MAKING THIS ZOOM MEETING
POSSIBLE.