Dear Mayor White, Greenville City Council, and County Councilmembers
My name is [YOUR NAME], and I am a resident of [YOUR DISTRICT/NEIGHBORHOOD].
I am asking that you reallocate funds from overinflated Greenville policing budgets and invest them into social services that would directly improve the well-being of Greenville residents. The two year budget for the Sheriff’s Office for the 2020-2021 fiscal year is $96,307,964. This is a 6% increase in the budget from the FY2018-2019 budget. The largest budget enhancement of the 2020-2021 budget is the addition of fourteen deputies in 2020 and fourteen deputies in 2021- eight more total than the Sheriff requested. The 2020 Greenville city budget allocated fully 1/3 of the general fund to policing, vastly more than any social services.
Research shows that social spending--on housing, education, health--is much more effective at promoting safe communities than policing. An armed response to every problem in our community is inappropriate and puts residents in danger.
I am requesting that budget votes be delayed and an emergency meeting be called before the fiscal year goes into effect in order to deny/revise the proposed budgets.
I am demanding long term and sustainable change. I am demanding that the budgets for Greenville city and county be better spent on quality of life for all. In particular for those in our Black and Brown communities, who are more than likely to be directly affected by police brutality and violence. Programs that support education, housing, healthcare, and community centers deserve our prioritization.
Thank you,
[YOUR NAME][YOUR ADDRESS]
[YOUR EMAIL][YOUR PHONE NUMBER]