Dear Brentwood City Council,
My name is [YOUR NAME] and I am a resident of Brentwood. I am writing to demand that the Brentwood City Council adopt a budget that redirects funding away from the police and prioritizes our community's wellbeing.
In the 2019-2020 budget, the City of Brentwood allocated $ 27,878,876 dollars to our police system, while only $5,708,738 dollars were directed towards community development. This disparity is unacceptable. I join the calls of those across the country and demand that City Council defund the Brentwood Police Department and re-allocate those funds towards programs that promote a safer and more equitable community, such as mental health services, affordable housing, youth programs, and education.
As members of the City Council, it is your duty to represent your constituents. I am urging you to completely revise the budget for the 2020-2021 fiscal year, in favor of a budget that reflects the actual needs of Brentwood residents. As history has shown us, "reform" is not enough. We must take a hard look at the ways that the current system in place fails to serve, and in fact actively harms our community, and come together to reimagine the role of police in our city.
Thank you for your time,
[YOUR NAME][YOUR ADDRESS]
[YOUR EMAIL][YOUR PHONE NUMBER]