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defund12.org
https://defund12.org/
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NEW AND UPDATED Add Worcester, MA #1578

Closed mpuch012 closed 4 years ago

mpuch012 commented 4 years ago

TO: Mayor Joseph M. Petty: mayor@worcesterma.gov Councilor-At-Large Moe A. Bergman: BergmanM@worcesterma.gov Councilor-At-Large Donna M. Colorio: ColorioD@worcesterma.gov Councilor-At-Large Khrystian E. King: KingK@worcesterma.gov Councilor-At-Large Gary Rosen: RosenG@worcesterma.gov Councilor-At-Large Kathleen M. Toomey: ToomeyK@worcesterma.gov District 1 Councilor Sean M. Rose: RoseS@worcesterma.gov District 2 Councilor Candy F. Mero-Carlson: Mero-CarlsonC@worcesterma.gov District 3 Councilor George J. Russell: RussellG@worcesterma.gov District 4 Councilor Sarai Rivera: RiveraSA@worcesterma.gov District 5 Councilor Matthew E. Wally: WallyM@worcesterma.gov City Manager Edward M. Augustus, Jr.: CityManager@worcesterma.gov

Dear [CITY OFFICIAL'S NAME],

My name is [YOUR NAME] and I am a resident of Worcester living in District [YOUR DISTRICT NUMBER]. I am writing to express my concern over the current proposed budget increase of $254,320 for the Worcester Police Department (WPD). I urge you to reject this increase and allocate it to services that benefit our community.

[INSERT YOUR REASONS HERE; FEEL FREE TO PULL FROM THE SCRIPT BELOW. INCLUDE YOUR OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE]

In light of recent events across our country, I believe our view towards policing needs to change completely. Police can not be used as band-aids for social problems, while services that would actually support our community lack sufficient funding. Please consider the following:

We have called into council meetings, left messages and emails demanding a more inclusive process for citizen input in our budget. The City Council must take a stand for racial justice by significantly defunding policing and investing in real public safety for our community - starting with reallocating the proposed increase in WPD funding to various social services.

Thank you,

[YOUR NAME] [YOUR ADDRESS] [YOUR EMAIL] [YOUR PHONE NUMBER]

mahrer commented 4 years ago

Hi @mpuch012! Thanks so much for your submission. The Worcester letter has been added to the site from a previous submission. https://defund12.org/worcester

If you would like to make specific changes to the existing content (rather than replacing the entire template), please open a new issue so we can follow-up. Thank you!

mpuch012 commented 4 years ago

Hello @mahrer ! I would like to replace the entire template. There is inaccurate information and my team and I decided it would be best to go with another template altogether. Also, what does "closed" mean for the issue?

mahrer commented 4 years ago

Hi @mpuch012 would you mind stating what is inaccurate in the template? Because our templates are written by community members, we try to make the process collaborative instead of just replacing one with the other.

After looking at the closed issue #773, it looks like the data was confirmed from this source: http://www.worcesterma.gov/uploads/f9/cc/f9cc1ae9dd5bb1e7cf34b6a4eaca6613/budget-fy21.pdf

mpuch012 commented 4 years ago

Yes so first, the first email template is stating that the 2020 FY budget allocated over 52 million when it is actually the 2021 FY budget that does it. Another thing is that it doesn't include all city officials that can be contacted, just a select few, I'm not sure why. My email template includes the reasons why the police should be defunded as well as the city officials names and emails in a more professional manner. Let me know what you think!

mahrer commented 4 years ago

@mpuch012 Thanks for pointing out these inaccuracies. I've attempted to update the previous template with your team's contributions. Let me know what you think:

TO: Mayor Joseph M. Petty: mayor@worcesterma.gov Councilor-At-Large Moe A. Bergman: BergmanM@worcesterma.gov Councilor-At-Large Donna M. Colorio: ColorioD@worcesterma.gov Councilor-At-Large Khrystian E. King: KingK@worcesterma.gov Councilor-At-Large Gary Rosen: RosenG@worcesterma.gov Councilor-At-Large Kathleen M. Toomey: ToomeyK@worcesterma.gov District 1 Councilor Sean M. Rose: RoseS@worcesterma.gov District 2 Councilor Candy F. Mero-Carlson: Mero-CarlsonC@worcesterma.gov District 3 Councilor George J. Russell: RussellG@worcesterma.gov District 4 Councilor Sarai Rivera: RiveraSA@worcesterma.gov District 5 Councilor Matthew E. Wally: WallyM@worcesterma.gov City Manager Edward M. Augustus, Jr.: CityManager@worcesterma.gov

Dear [CITY OFFICIAL'S NAME],

My name is [YOUR NAME] and I am a resident of Worcester living in District [YOUR DISTRICT NUMBER]. I am writing to express my concern over the current proposed budget increase of $254,320 for the Worcester Police Department (WPD). Rather than invest in a system that has been founded on racist principles and that has perpetuated the unnecessary deaths of so many Black people nation wide, I suggest we reallocate money towards building up and supporting the Black and Brown communities that make Worcester the city it is.

The 2021 fiscal budget allocated over $52 million to the Worcester Police Department. I believe that this money could be have a greater use being invested in education, healthcare, and countless other social programs at the benefit of Worcester's Black and Brown communities. The City Council must take a stand for racial justice by significantly defunding policing.

[INSERT YOUR REASONS HERE; FEEL FREE TO PULL FROM THE SCRIPT BELOW. INCLUDE YOUR OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE]

In light of recent events across our country, I believe our view towards policing needs to change completely. Police can not be used as band-aids for social problems, while services that would actually support our community lack sufficient funding. Please consider the following:

Community members have called into council meetings, left messages and emails demanding a more inclusive process for citizen input in our budget. The City Council must take a stand for racial justice by significantly defunding policing and investing in real public safety for our community - starting with reallocating the proposed increase in WPD funding to various social services.

Thank you,

[YOUR NAME] [YOUR ADDRESS] [YOUR EMAIL] [YOUR PHONE NUMBER]

mpuch012 commented 4 years ago

Could you take out the first "The City Council must take a stand for racial justice by significantly defunding policing" since there is the same sentence in the last paragraph as well? Also, the 2021 fiscal budget is not approved yet so we can't exactly say the money has been allocated yet. And the first email states that the police have a budget of over 52 million, which I am sure it is information the city officials know already. How about this draft (Let me know what you think):

Dear [CITY OFFICIAL'S NAME],

My name is [YOUR NAME] and I am a resident of Worcester living in District [YOUR DISTRICT NUMBER]. I am writing to express my concern over the current proposed budget increase of $254,320 for the Worcester Police Department (WPD). Rather than invest in a system that has been founded on racist principles and has brought the unnecessary deaths of so many Black and Brown people nationwide, I suggest we reallocate that money towards services that will build up and support their communities instead.

[INSERT YOUR REASONS HERE; FEEL FREE TO PULL FROM THE SCRIPT BELOW. INCLUDE YOUR OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE]

In light of recent events across our country, I believe our view towards policing needs to change completely. Police can not be used as band-aids for social problems, while services that would actually benefit our community lack sufficient funding. Please consider the following:

Community members have called into city council meetings, left messages, and wrote emails demanding a more inclusive process for citizen input in our budget. The City Council must take a stand for racial justice by significantly defunding policing and investing in real public safety for our community - starting with reallocating the proposed increase in WPD funding to various social services.

Thank you,

[YOUR NAME] [YOUR ADDRESS] [YOUR EMAIL] [YOUR PHONE NUMBER]

mahrer commented 4 years ago

@mpuch012 I agree with your first edit. But I do think that including the total police budget is important in order to make a stronger point, regardless of whether the recipients already know the information. I have edited that paragraph to say "proposed FY2021 operating budget" to reflect that it may not be approved yet (this is the title of the source document as well). Thanks so much for your willingness to collaborate. Let me know what you think:

TO: Mayor Joseph M. Petty: mayor@worcesterma.gov Councilor-At-Large Moe A. Bergman: BergmanM@worcesterma.gov Councilor-At-Large Donna M. Colorio: ColorioD@worcesterma.gov Councilor-At-Large Khrystian E. King: KingK@worcesterma.gov Councilor-At-Large Gary Rosen: RosenG@worcesterma.gov Councilor-At-Large Kathleen M. Toomey: ToomeyK@worcesterma.gov District 1 Councilor Sean M. Rose: RoseS@worcesterma.gov District 2 Councilor Candy F. Mero-Carlson: Mero-CarlsonC@worcesterma.gov District 3 Councilor George J. Russell: RussellG@worcesterma.gov District 4 Councilor Sarai Rivera: RiveraSA@worcesterma.gov District 5 Councilor Matthew E. Wally: WallyM@worcesterma.gov City Manager Edward M. Augustus, Jr.: CityManager@worcesterma.gov

Dear [CITY OFFICIAL'S NAME],

My name is [YOUR NAME] and I am a resident of Worcester living in District [YOUR DISTRICT NUMBER]. I am writing to express my concern over the current proposed budget increase of $254,320 for the Worcester Police Department (WPD). Rather than invest in a system that has been founded on racist principles and has brought the unnecessary deaths of so many Black and Brown people nationwide, I suggest we reallocate that money towards services that will build up and support their communities instead.

The proposed FY2021 operating budget allocated over $52 million to the Worcester Police Department. I believe that this money could be have a greater use being invested in education, healthcare, and countless other social programs at the benefit of Worcester's Black and Brown communities.

[INSERT YOUR REASONS HERE; FEEL FREE TO PULL FROM THE SCRIPT BELOW. INCLUDE YOUR OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE]

In light of recent events across our country, I believe our view towards policing needs to change completely. Police can not be used as band-aids for social problems, while services that would actually benefit our community lack sufficient funding. Please consider the following:

Community members have called into city council meetings, left messages, and wrote emails demanding a more inclusive process for citizen input in our budget. The City Council must take a stand for racial justice by significantly defunding policing and investing in real public safety for our community - starting with reallocating the proposed increase in WPD funding to various social services.

Thank you,

[YOUR NAME] [YOUR ADDRESS] [YOUR EMAIL] [YOUR PHONE NUMBER]

mpuch012 commented 4 years ago

Thank you so much for being so considerate of my edits! This means a lot. I just made one more change, and that is taking information from the second paragraph and putting it into the first. I didn't use information from the second part of the 2nd paragraph because I think it is already included in the 3rd bullet. Again, please let me know what you think!

TO: Mayor Joseph M. Petty: mayor@worcesterma.gov Councilor-At-Large Moe A. Bergman: BergmanM@worcesterma.gov Councilor-At-Large Donna M. Colorio: ColorioD@worcesterma.gov Councilor-At-Large Khrystian E. King: KingK@worcesterma.gov Councilor-At-Large Gary Rosen: RosenG@worcesterma.gov Councilor-At-Large Kathleen M. Toomey: ToomeyK@worcesterma.gov District 1 Councilor Sean M. Rose: RoseS@worcesterma.gov District 2 Councilor Candy F. Mero-Carlson: Mero-CarlsonC@worcesterma.gov District 3 Councilor George J. Russell: RussellG@worcesterma.gov District 4 Councilor Sarai Rivera: RiveraSA@worcesterma.gov District 5 Councilor Matthew E. Wally: WallyM@worcesterma.gov City Manager Edward M. Augustus, Jr.: CityManager@worcesterma.gov

Dear [CITY OFFICIAL'S NAME],

My name is [YOUR NAME] and I am a resident of Worcester living in District [YOUR DISTRICT NUMBER]. I am writing to express my concern over the current proposed FY2021 operating budget allocating over $52 million to the Worcester Police Department (WPD). I do not support the WPD's budget increase of $254,320. Rather than invest in a system that has been founded on racist principles and has brought the unnecessary deaths of so many Black and Brown people nationwide, I urge that you reject this increase and reallocate that money towards services that will build up and support their communities instead.

[INSERT YOUR REASONS HERE; FEEL FREE TO PULL FROM THE SCRIPT BELOW. INCLUDE YOUR OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE]

In light of recent events across our country, I believe our view towards policing needs to change completely. Police can not be used as band-aids for social problems, while services that would actually benefit our community lack sufficient funding. Please consider the following:

Community members have called into city council meetings, left messages, and wrote emails demanding a more inclusive process for citizen input in our budget. The City Council must take a stand for racial justice by significantly defunding policing and investing in real public safety for our community - starting with reallocating the proposed increase in WPD funding to various social services.

Thank you,

[YOUR NAME] [YOUR ADDRESS] [YOUR EMAIL] [YOUR PHONE NUMBER]

mahrer commented 4 years ago

@mpuch012 this looks good to me! Thanks for your patience in the process. The next step is for someone from our development team to process your request. We've been a little swamped lately but it should be processed shortly.

todd-m commented 4 years ago

on it

mpuch012 commented 4 years ago

Thanks! Will I get a notification of when it does get on the website?

On Thu, Jun 18, 2020 at 3:24 PM Todd Martino notifications@github.com wrote:

on it

— You are receiving this because you were mentioned. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub https://github.com/defund12/defund12.org/issues/1578#issuecomment-646260374, or unsubscribe https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AP42TLK7QTDO352NUQSQAODRXJSYBANCNFSM4N6YHHMA .

todd-m commented 4 years ago

This letter is now live at defund12.org/worcester. Thanks again for submitting!