CORRESPONDENCE - 65D - Laserfiche WebLink

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Orozco, Norma From: Greg Camphire <gcamphire@gmail.com> Sent: Tuesday, July 07, 2020 10:24 AM To: eComment Subject: Item 65d: Annual City Budget Hello, I am extremely concerned that the city's budget currently under discussion would cut the Deportation Defense Fund by an astonishing 50%. There is only one legal service provider within this program in Santa Ana, the Immigrant Defenders Law Center, and their budget to help the city's most vulnerable immigrant families would be cut in half. At the same time, this disastrous budget plan would increase Santa Ana Police Department's budget by a mind - boggling $9 million dollars. We already know from a June 8th Voice ofOC article that the County has shifted millions in funding away from public health while doubling an already -bloated sheriffs spending: "OC sheriffs deputies now make more than double what the county's social workers do in median pay and benefits, according to payroll data, a gap that has widened further in recent years. The sheriff increases in recent years weren't driven by increased service levels, according to the department, but rather were mainly due to large salary and benefit raises approved by county supervisors that coincided with elections in 2016 and this coming year.,, In effect, this proposed budget would take resources away from hard-working families who are contributing to the city's economy, while simultaneously enabling the police to further criminalize our communities. It's time to remove the stranglehold that the police union holds over our city & county governments. The people of Santa Ana are advocating for a reallocation of budget funds away from police department funding, and redirected towards public health & community services that double as crime prevention and mitigation efforts. This includes more green spaces, parks, libraries, youth centers, job training programs, community gardens, and other public health resources. Thank you, Greg C. Santa Ana, CA