To the Eureka City Council,
I am a resident of Eureka's [YOUR WARD/NEIGHBORHOOD]. I am writing to demand that the City Council adopt a budget strategy that prioritizes community well-being and redirects funding away from the police in the next budget evaluation period.
We have seen mounting evidence that police departments are ineffective institutions that marginalize minority communities and put citizens at risk of injury and death, yet the police budget accounts for 46% of our general fund. This is wholly unacceptable. I ask that you redirect a significant portion of the police budget toward community programs that provide citizens with basic human needs, like affordable healthcare and housing. We don’t need a militarized police force. We need to create a space in which more mental health service providers, social workers, victim/survivor advocates, religious leaders, neighbors, and friends - all of the people who really make up our community - can look out for one another. Real, actionable change starts with reallocating funding in a manner consistent with these priorities.
As the City Council, the budget proposal is in your hands. It is your duty to represent your constituents. I am urging you to completely revise the budget for the 2020-2021 fiscal year. We can be a beacon for other cities to follow if only we have the courage to change.
Thank you for your time,
[YOUR NAME][YOUR ADDRESS]
[YOUR PHONE NUMBER][YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS]