CORRESPONDENCE - 20B - Laserfiche WebLink

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Orozco, Norma From:Anthony Johnson <anthony723johnson@yahoo.com> Sent:Tuesday, September 15, 2020 4:36 PM To:eComment Subject:Planning Commission Public Comment 9/15/20 Good afternoon, I would like to share my thoughts on some of the items that will be discussed today. 12A: while tourism is an important revenue stream for the city, we do not need to establish a separate district for tourism purposes. At a time where members of the community are struggling to pay rent for the lodging in their own homes, we should be focusing on them, not tourist lodging. How can the community members be sure that the creation of this district won't further gentrifry their neighborhoods and make the rent at their homes unaffordable? This district would be toward the benefit of hotels and to the detriment of the people who live in the city, so it should not be established. 20B: for months, community members have spoken to the council and protested about reshaping the way our police operate, including demilitarizing them. And still, these JAG funds are set to be allocated for additional SWAT gear. How does this provide or assist in justice? These funds should be used for things that actually decrease crime and pursue justice, such as public education, assisting those living in poverty, eliminating homelessness, or drug and mental health treatment. I hope you reconsider the use of these funds and how many better uses we can find for nearly $100,000. Item 60B: on the subject of drug treatment and homelessness, I would discourage this proposed ban. While several other nearby cities have placed these bans, we can lead by example and prove that we truly care about our communities by promoting these programs. I would encourage you to read about the tangible benefits of these programs shown by the ACLU. https://www.aclu.org/fact-sheet/needle-exchange-programs-promote-public- safety#:~:text=A%20study%20by%20the%20National,had%20never%20used%20an%20exchange. Item 60C: further and increasingly criminalizing residents does not make our city safer, and it has been proven for decades. Making these crimes felonies also unjustly targets our poor, Black, and Hispanic populations, on the first day of National Hispanic Heritage Month nonetheless. We should be creating ways to decrease crime, not increasing it, and this Act would neither reduce crime nor keep us safe. I hope you reconsider this resolution. Thank you, AJ 1