serifluous
commented
4 years ago Hey @mmirer ! There's an email currently proposed for Somerville in issue #618. Can you comment there with anything you'd like to add or edit?
Closed mmirer closed 4 years ago
serifluous
commented
4 years ago Hey @mmirer ! There's an email currently proposed for Somerville in issue #618. Can you comment there with anything you'd like to add or edit?
mayor@somervillema.gov Hello, My name is [YOUR NAME]. I am a resident of Somerville in [YOUR COUNTY] county and I am writing today to demand that Mayor Curtatone take specific measures to reduce funding for police in the city of Somerville. We are calling on the Mayor to take a serious look at the number of funds being designated towards criminalization and surveillance. The Mayor has a responsibility to address the city’s lack of investment in predominantly Black and Brown communities as he considers this funding.
The city of Somerville will spend over $17,044,021 on the Police Department this year, as you well know. By contrast, Health and Human Services receives only $3,064, 691. This is an abomination. Budgets for Immigrant services, disability services, and fair housing services also pale in comparison to this excessive budget . With the overall police budget, the City Council has the power to cut line items in the City budget. The police budget and overtime budget should be cut, with funds reinvested in Black and POC communities. The Mayor must show strength in his role as a leader of the Council and take a stand for defunding the SPD.
Now especially, the City of Somerville can take a stand for racial justice by significantly defunding policing and investing in Black and Brown communities - starting with cutting the least transparent and most harmful parts of the SPD budget.
Racist police violence doesn’t just happen in other cities - it happens here in Somerville too. The City Council must stop investing in targeted criminalization and surveillance, and fund what Black and Brown communities need to be safe and healthy: COVID19 relief, housing, healthcare, treatment, healing, cooperative businesses, community centers, community-led organizations and projects. Our community has a long history of racist policy in housing and school segregation. These issues must become financial priorities so we can heal from our history.
We the residents of Somerville will hold you accountable for swift and just action, Mayor Curtatone. Sincerely, [YOUR NAME] [YOUR ADDRESS] [YOUR EMAIL] [YOUR PHONE NUMBER]