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Salas, Diana <br />From: <br />Barela, Waldo <br />Sent: <br />Wednesday, June 17, 2020 7:07 AM <br />To: <br />eComment <br />Subject: <br />FW: We Need a Budget That Represents US <br />-----Original Message ----- <br />From: Mikaela Garduno [mailto:mikaelagarduno@yahoo.comj <br />Sent: Wednesday, June 17, 20201:37 AM <br />To: Pulido, Miguel <MPulido@santa-ana.org>; Sarmiento, Vicente <VSarmiento@santa-ana.org>; Penaloza, David <br /><DPenaloza@santa-ana.org>; Solorio, Jose <JSolorio@santa-ana.org>; Bacerra, Phil <pbacerra@santa-ana.org>; Villegas, <br />Juan <JVillegas@santa-ana.org>; Mendoza, Nelida <nmendoza@santa-ana.org>; Ridge, Kristine <kridge@santa- <br />ana.org>; cityclerks@santa-ana.org; BudgetOffice <BudgetOffice@santa-ana.org>; Downs, Kathryn <KDowns@santa- <br />ana.org> <br />Subject: We Need a Budget That Represents US <br />Hello, <br />My name is Mikaela Garduno. I am a resident of Santa Ana, CA and I am emailing to demand the restructuring of our city <br />budget, so as to prioritize more social services for our community, and to drastically minimize spending on Police. It is <br />unconscionable that 1/3 to 1/2 of the city's budget is going to the police department. <br />This does not align with the values that I have as your constituent and I demand that you and other city officials work <br />together to draft and approve a budget that diverts funds from the police department and reallocates them directly to <br />benefit those in need. <br />Defunding the police and restructuring the budget is an absolute necessity now more than ever. Police perpetuate a <br />pattern of excessive violence and force, especially directed towards Black People and their communities. The police <br />refuse to hold their own accountable and this is unacceptable. <br />We are in the middle of a global pandemic that has killed 100,000 Americans and more than 40 million people have filed <br />for unemployment. Healthcare workers are without proper equipment and essential workers are not being fairly <br />compensated or protected for the great work they do. We don't need more police, we need more social safety nets. <br />Funds intended for police would be better off being sorted to initiatives that <br />Enrich our public schools and students <br />Provide more affordable housing and mental health care initiatives Protect and bolster our parks Support small <br />businesses struggling due to COVID-19 Provide cheaper and cleaner modes of public transportation <br />Our nation is grieving the deaths of Black Americans that were murdered at the hands of police officers who have yet to <br />be held accountable. While the police department has more funding than it knows what to do with, we have <br />communities who desperately need funding and every day they don't receive it their quality of life worsens. Thousands <br />have died who did not need to. You have the ability to change this, so do it. <br />Sincerely, <br />Mikaela Garduno <br />