Laserfiche WebLink
<br />Orozco, Norma <br />From:Houston, Nicole <br />Sent:Thursday, June 18, 2020 12:58 PM <br />To:eComment_Forwarding <br />Subject:FW: City Council Meeting June 18, 2020: Agenda Items 75A and 85A <br /> <br /> <br />From: Jessenya Reyes \[mailto:jessenyareyes178@gmail.com\] <br />Sent: Thursday, June 18, 2020 10:45 AM <br />To: Pulido, Miguel <MPulido@santa-ana.org> <br />Subject: City Council Meeting June 18, 2020: Agenda Items 75A and 85A <br /> <br />Dear City Council, <br /> <br />My name is Jessenya Reyes, and I am a constituent of Ward 4. I was born and raised in Santa Ana, <br />and I love my city. I want Santa Ana residents to thrive, but a lot of change needs to happen, and that <br />change can start with shifting the city budget, which you all have the power to influence as city council <br />member. <br /> <br />It doesn't make any sense that the city budget is decreasing, yet funding for SAPD continues to <br />increase. Nearly 50% of the budget for 15 years going towards SAPD is too much, especially right <br />now in the midst of a pandemic. Our people need financial assistance, including housing and rental <br />assistance. We need to invest in our youth, who have been negatively impacted by the sudden <br />changes to their education. We also continue to need community spaces. <br /> <br />We are also in the midst of widespread upheaval over the systemic violence. We will no longer accept <br />empty gestures and suggestions of reform.We need to defund SAPD. We need a budget that <br />adequately and effectively meets the needs of Santa Ana residents during this trying and uncertain <br />time; and we need a budget that supports communities and supports their wellbeing, not one which <br />empowers the forces that tear them apart. We need so many things that are not cops, thus the <br />proposed increases to SAPD can and should be re-directed to caring for our community instead. <br /> <br />We also demand full transparency from SAPD and I urge you as city council to push this process. <br />SAPD has flexed its muscles in city affairs more than necessary, and it has hurt our communities, so <br />it is important we find ways to hold them accountable. One initial step would be the creation of a <br />police oversight commission, which I am calling on you to do, accompanied by a deadline, to move <br />forward with accountability. <br /> <br />Please consider changing the proposed budget to reflect the needs of Santa Ana residents and <br />creating a police oversight commission, which has long been overdue. Thank you for your time. <br /> <br />Best, <br />Jessenya Reyes <br />Email: jessenyareyes178@gmail.com <br />1 <br />