Hello,
My name is [YOUR NAME] and I am a resident of [YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD/WARD].
I ask that you, my local officials, will:
- Vote NO on all increases to police budgets.
- Vote YES to decrease police spending and budgets.
- Vote YES to increase spending on health care, education, and community programs that keep us safe.
The City of Tucson must do better by its residents. I am urging you to divest from the criminalization of our communities and reduce police spending in the budget for the 2021 fiscal year. In May, Mayor Romero warned of deep spending cuts due to the pandemic. It is time to cut funding for the Tucson Police Department.
In the previous budget, police received $193,274,430, more than Parks and Recreation ($53,126,400) and Housing and Community Development ($89,091,600). Continuous budget cuts in Education slash essential after-school and enrichment programs, and large cuts in Parks and Rec over the years force a shortage of hours of recreation centers and special events.
I know many of you feel strongly about racial justice and equity. Mayor Romero claims to have a commitment to the people of Tucson, and, on June 2, claimed that the police require "systemic reform and meaningful policy change." Your words are meaningless unless you use your power to take action on that.
Individual solutions will not fix systemic problems. It is time for Tucson, its leaders, and residents to create a more equitable city for all of us. Have the moral clarity to reallocate a budget to focus on communities. Defund the Tucson Police Department.
Thank you,
[YOUR NAME][YOUR ADDRESS]
[YOUR EMAIL][YOUR PHONE NUMBER]