HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-12-20 Public Comments - BudgetFrom:Jamie Reeves
To:Agenda
Subject:[SENDER UNVERIFIED]Police Concerns
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 10:08:30 PM
Hello Bozeman City Commission,
I am calling for the defunding of the police.
Defunding the Police > Police Reform
The way to reduce police violence is to reduce the scope, size, and role of police
in our communities.
Why would we continue to throw money away at something we already know is not working?
We need those resources in schools, toward our health, and for our futures.
Signed,
Jamie Reeves
From:Hannah Kidd
To:Agenda
Subject:Concerns regarding proposed 2021 budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 9:38:20 PM
To whom it may concern:
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money for
policing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community. As you are
probably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” all across this
country in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of the
police, and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful protestors in the aftermath.
These calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communities
from crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every year in the United
States are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, a
drug that is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve a
small percentage of violent crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PD
solves less than 30% of violent crimes in our community(2). What keeps communities safe
from crime is not their investments in police, but their investments in programs that attack
the underlying causes of crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack of
opportunity. Access to low-income housing, quality education, stable employment, and
adequate mental health services are what keep a community safe. I would very much like
to see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut so that
this city can more properly invest in other necessary services(3).
Very Respectfully,
Hannah Kidd
Citations
1.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-
statistics-say-no.html
2.
https://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-
now-you-can-find-out
3.
https://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
From:Emily Kastor
To:Agenda
Subject:Concerns regarding proposed budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 9:14:41 PM
To whom it may concern:
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money for
policing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community. As you areprobably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” all across thiscountry in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of thepolice, and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful protestors in the aftermath.
These calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communities
from crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every year in the UnitedStates are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, adrug that is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve asmall percentage of violent crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PD
solves less than 30% of violent crimes in our community(2). What keeps communities safefrom crime is not their investments in police, but their investments in programs that attackthe underlying causes of crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack ofopportunity. Access to low-income housing, quality education, stable employment, and
adequate mental-health services are what keep a community safe. I would very much liketo see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut, so thatthis city can more properly invest in other necessary services(3).
Citationshttps://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-statistics-say-no.html
https://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-now-you-can-find-outhttps://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
From:Stella "Lago" Jones
To:Agenda
Subject:It is crucial that we defund the police now.
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 9:13:24 PM
To the Bozeman City Commission,
My name is Stella and I am an ally to the Bozeman community. I am writing to demand that the City Commission
adopts a budget that prioritizes community well-being and redirects funding away from the police.
Many Montanans may be tempted to think the unique nature of such a vast, yet sparsely-populated state minimizes
the likelihood of police brutality in our small city communities. However, as reported by the Billings Gazette last
year, Montana ranked ninth in killings by police per capita. In 2017, the Great Falls Tribune reported Montana
police killings reached a total higher than the previous six years. These figures are alarming, but don’t tell the full
story. Under Montana Code § 2-6-102 and Article II, Section 10 of the Montana Constitution, police disciplinary
records are exempt from disclosure if there is an “individual privacy interest that clearly exceeds the merits of public
disclosure.” Montana police forces operate within a culture of impunity, and as the members of the communities
they are supposed to be protecting, we can’t even begin to grasp the scope of their violence.
We are in the midst of widespread upheaval over the systemic violence of policing. Empty gestures and suggestions
of “reform” are inadequate and unacceptable. I am demanding that real change be made to the way this city allocates
its resources.
Support for communities in need is necessary now, more than ever. I am demanding that the City Commission
meaningfully defund the Bozeman Police Department. I join the calls of those across the country to defund the
police. I am demanding a budget that adequately and effectively meets the needs of at-risk Bozeman residents
during this trying and uncertain time. I am demanding a budget that supports community wellbeing, rather than
empowering the police forces that tear them apart.
As the City Commission, 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, and to fund the social programs proven to
be more effective than policing at promoting community safety and equity. Have the courage to be a leader of the
change this city, state, and country desperately needs.
Thank you for your time,
Stella "Lago" Jones
They/them or She/her
Couple, Family, Individual Therapist
Brave Space, LLC
www.bravespacellc.com
front desk phone: 503-486-8936
direct line: 503-389-5892
fax: 503-894-6020
“Action on behalf of life transforms. Because the relationship between self and the world is reciprocal, it is not a
question of first getting enlightened or saved and then acting. As we work to heal the earth, the earth heals us.” -
Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass
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From:Carlee Flasnick
To:Agenda
Subject:Concerns regarding proposed budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 9:12:29 PM
To whom it may concern:
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money forpolicing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community. As you areprobably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” all across this
country in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of thepolice, and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful protestors in the aftermath.These calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communitiesfrom crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every year in the UnitedStates are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, a
drug that is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve asmall percentage of violent crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PDsolves less than 30% of violent crimes in our community(2). What keeps communities safefrom crime is not their investments in police, but their investments in programs that attack
the underlying causes of crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack ofopportunity. Access to low-income housing, quality education, stable employment, andadequate mental-health services are what keep a community safe. I would very much liketo see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut, so thatthis city can more properly invest in other necessary services(3).
Sincerely,Carlee Brown
Citationshttps://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-statistics-say-no.html
https://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-now-you-can-find-outhttps://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
Sent from my iPhone
From:Alexandra McNamee
To:Agenda
Subject:Concerns regarding proposed budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 9:05:53 PM
To whom it may concern:
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money for
policing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community. As you are
probably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” all across this
country in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of the
police, and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful protestors in the aftermath.
These calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communities
from crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every year in the United
States are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, a
drug that is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve a
small percentage of violent crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PD
solves less than 30% of violent crimes in our community(2). What keeps communities safe
from crime is not their investments in police, but their investments in programs that attack
the underlying causes of crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack of
opportunity. Access to low-income housing, quality education, stable employment, and
adequate mental-health services are what keep a community safe. I would very much like
to see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut, so that
this city can more properly invest in other necessary services(3).
Citations
1.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-
statistics-say-no.html
2.
https://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-
now-you-can-find-out
3.
https://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
From:lea.skaggs@gmail.com
To:Agenda
Subject:Concerns regarding proposed budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 8:41:46 PM
To whom it may concern:
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money forpolicing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community. As you areprobably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” all across this
country in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of thepolice, and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful protestors in the aftermath.These calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communitiesfrom crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every year in the UnitedStates are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, a
drug that is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve asmall percentage of violent crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PDsolves less than 30% of violent crimes in our community(2). What keeps communities safefrom crime is not their investments in police, but their investments in programs that attack
the underlying causes of crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack ofopportunity. Access to low-income housing, quality education, stable employment, andadequate mental-health services are what keep a community safe. I would very much liketo see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut, so thatthis city can more properly invest in other necessary services(3).
Citationshttps://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-statistics-say-no.htmlhttps://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-now-you-can-find-out
https://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
Sincerely,Lea Skaggs
From:Christian Bower
To:Agenda
Subject:Concerns regarding proposed budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 8:23:36 PM
To whom it may concern:
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money forpolicing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community.
As you are probably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” allacross this country in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at thehands of the police, and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful protestors in theaftermath. These calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communitiesfrom crime. This is simply not true.
The majority of people arrested every year in the United States are arrested on drugcharges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, a drug that is less dangerousthan either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve a small percentage of violent
crimes.
The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PD solves less than 30% of violent crimesin our community(2).
What keeps communities safe from crime is not their investments in police, but theirinvestments in programs that attack the underlying causes of crime; homelessness,addiction, discrimination, and lack of opportunity. Access to low-income housing, quality
education, stable employment, and adequate mental-health services are what keep acommunity safe. I would very much like to see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up afull ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut, so that this city can more properly invest in other necessaryservices(3).
It is crucial to reconsider distribution of funds to other programs to ensure equal andeffective community safety.
Thank you, Christian Bower
Citationshttps://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-statistics-say-no.htmlhttps://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-
now-you-can-find-outhttps://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
From:Sophie Hewitt
To:Agenda
Subject:[SENDER UNVERIFIED]Concerns regarding proposed budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 8:22:22 PM
To whom it may concern:
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money forpolicing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community.
As you are probably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” allacross this country in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at thehands of the police, and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful protestors in theaftermath. These calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communitiesfrom crime. This is simply not true.
The majority of people arrested every year in the United States are arrested on drugcharges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, a drug that is less dangerousthan either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve a small percentage of violent
crimes.
The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PD solves less than 30% of violent crimesin our community(2).
What keeps communities safe from crime is not their investments in police, but theirinvestments in programs that attack the underlying causes of crime; homelessness,addiction, discrimination, and lack of opportunity. Access to low-income housing, quality
education, stable employment, and adequate mental-health services are what keep acommunity safe. I would very much like to see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up afull ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut, so that this city can more properly invest in other necessaryservices(3).
It is crucial to reconsider distribution of funds to other programs to ensure equal andeffective community safety.
Thank you, Sophie Hewitt
Citationshttps://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-statistics-say-no.htmlhttps://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-
now-you-can-find-outhttps://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
From:Minnie Harney
To:Agenda
Subject:Concerns regarding proposed budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 7:37:51 PM
To whom it may concern:
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money for
policing and far too little for funds that strengthen our community. As you are probably
aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” all across this country in
response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of the police,
and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful protestors in the aftermath. These
calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communities
from crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every year in the United
States are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, a
drug that is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve a
small percentage of violent crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PD
solves less than 30% of violent crimes in our community(2). What keeps communities safe
from crime is not their investments in police, but their investments in programs that attack
the underlying causes of crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack of
opportunity. Access to low-income housing, quality education, stable employment, and
adequate mental-health services are what keep a community safe. I would very much like
to see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut, so that
this city can more properly invest in other necessary services(3).
Madeline Harney
Citations
1.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-
statistics-say-no.html
2.
https://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-
now-you-can-find-out
3.
https://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
From:Christine Stucky
To:Agenda
Subject:Let the Proposed budget reflect the Welfare of our City as a priority
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 7:13:31 PM
Dear City Commission,
The word "Welfare" has almost been almost considered a profane word and "on welfare" a
descriptor of those who we despise. But the word means "the health, happiness, and fortunesof a person or group", and "Welfare" is the primary concern of the Bozeman City
Commission, for the Bozeman Community.
There are things that I'm proud of that our City Commission has done. I'm proud of ourattractive city and our cool downtown and great parks. But that's all property. Nice. But people
are more important.
I work in education, and I'm concerned about homeless high school students. Please
fund that. I am a citizen concerned about mental health in our community. I'm concerned that
mothers who struggle after the birth of their babies do so in silence. Please fund mentalhealth services and support for them.
I am concerned about young people who have turned to alcohol or opiates as a methodto cope with anxiety and other mental health issues - and I want to see programs in our
community become beacons of hope across our state. Please fund this.Let's find funding to work on the issues that families face in finding affordable day
care. I know of someone who worked all the way through her cancer treatment. She needed
her hourly wage. Let's think these issues through, and orient our funding prioritiestoward the welfare of people in our city.
Let's make some hard choices here. The time is right to re-allocate funds away from policing.That's a tough sell in our state and our community - but Bozeman City Commission - you've
had the guts to work through other hard decisions before. You can do it this time too. Thestatus quo is not good enough.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communities from
crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every year in the United Statesare arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, a drug that is
less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve a small percentageof violent crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PD solves less than 30% of
violent crimes in our community(2). What keeps communities safe from crime is not theirinvestments in police, but their investments in programs that attack the underlying causes of
crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack of opportunity. Access to low-incomehousing, quality education, stable employment, and adequate mental-health services are what
keep a community safe. I would very much like to see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takesup a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut, so that this city can more properly invest in other
necessary services(3).
SincerelyChris Stucky
Citations
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-statistics-say-no.html
https://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-now-
you-can-find-out
https://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
From:Alex Shuman
To:Agenda
Subject:Concerns regarding the proposed budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 7:00:48 PM
To whom it may concern:
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money forpolicing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community. As you are
probably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” all across thiscountry in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of thepolice, and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful protestors in the aftermath.These calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communitiesfrom crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every year in the United
States are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, adrug that is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve asmall percentage of violent crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PDsolves less than 30% of violent crimes in our community(2). What keeps communities safe
from crime is not their investments in police, but their investments in programs that attackthe underlying causes of crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack ofopportunity. Access to low-income housing, quality education, stable employment, andadequate mental-health services are what keep a community safe. I would very much like
to see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut, so thatthis city can more properly invest in other necessary services(3).
Citationshttps://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-statistics-say-no.htmlhttps://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-
now-you-can-find-outhttps://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
From:Sam Fogel
To:Agenda
Subject:Concerns regarding proposed budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 6:32:49 PM
To whom it may concern:
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money for
policing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community. As you are
probably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” all across this
country in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of the
police, and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful protestors in the aftermath.
These calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communities
from crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every year in the United
States are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, a
drug that is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve a
small percentage of violent crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PD
solves less than 30% of violent crimes in our community(2). What keeps communities safe
from crime is not their investments in police, but their investments in programs that attack
the underlying causes of crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack of
opportunity. Access to low-income housing, quality education, stable employment, and
adequate mental-health services are what keep a community safe. I would very much like
to see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut, so that
this city can more properly invest in other necessary services(3).
Citations
1.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-
statistics-say-no.html
2.
https://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-
now-you-can-find-out
3.
https://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
From:Cormac McManis
To:Agenda
Subject:Concerns regarding proposed budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 6:11:35 PM
To whom it may concern:
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money forpolicing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community. As you areprobably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” all across thiscountry in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of the
police, and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful protestors in the aftermath.These calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communitiesfrom crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every year in the UnitedStates are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, adrug that is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve a
small percentage of violent crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PDsolves less than 30% of violent crimes in our community(2). What keeps communities safefrom crime is not their investments in police, but their investments in programs that attackthe underlying causes of crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack of
opportunity. Access to low-income housing, quality education, stable employment, andadequate mental-health services are what keep a community safe. I would very much liketo see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut, so thatthis city can more properly invest in other necessary services(3).
Citations
1.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-statistics-say-
no.html
2.
https://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-now-you-can-find-out
3.https://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
Thank you, Cormac McManis
From:Kristin Katchmar
To:Agenda
Subject:Concern regarding proposed budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 6:09:41 PM
To whom it may concern,
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money forpolicing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community. As you are
probably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” all across thiscountry in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of thepolice, and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful protestors in the aftermath.These calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communitiesfrom crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every year in the United
States are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, adrug that is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve asmall percentage of violent crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PDsolves less than 30% of violent crimes in our community(2). What keeps communities safe
from crime is not their investments in police, but their investments in programs that attackthe underlying causes of crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack ofopportunity. Access to low-income housing, quality education, stable employment, andadequate mental-health services are what keep a community safe. I would very much liketo see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut, so thatthis city can more properly invest in other necessary services(3).
I truly believe Bozeman is a community that cares about all of its people, but that needs tobe reflected in the way we allocate funds to services that support our community.
We can and should do better!
Warmly,
Kristin Katchmar
Citationshttps://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-statistics-say-no.htmlhttps://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-
now-you-can-find-outhttps://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
From:Kamlin Cox
To:Agenda
Subject:Concerns regarding proposed budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 6:02:38 PM
To whom it may concern:
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money forpolicing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community.
It is my understanding from both my personal experience and research, that the majority ofpeople arrested every year in the United States are arrested on drug charges, and themajority of drug arrests are for marijuana, a drug that is less dangerous than either alcoholor tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve a small percentage of violent crimes. The most
recent data tells us that the Bozeman PD solves less than 30% of violent crimes in ourcommunity(2). What keeps communities safe from crime is not their investments in police,but their investments in programs that attack the underlying causes of crime;homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack of opportunity. Access to low-income
housing, quality education, stable employment, and adequate mental-health services arewhat keep a community safe. I would very much like to see the ludicrously large Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up ⅓of the city’s proposal, cut, so that this city can more properly invest in other necessary
services(3).
Thank you for your consideration,A concerned lifelong resident.
Citations
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-statistics-say-no.html
https://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-
now-you-can-find-out
https://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
From:Phoenix Peterson
To:Agenda
Subject:Concerns regarding proposed budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 5:58:42 PM
To whom it may concern:
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money forpolicing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community. As you areprobably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” all across this
country in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of thepolice, and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful protestors in the aftermath.These calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communitiesfrom crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every year in the UnitedStates are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, a
drug that is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve asmall percentage of violent crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PDsolves less than 30% of violent crimes in our community(2). What keeps communities safefrom crime is not their investments in police, but their investments in programs that attack
the underlying causes of crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack ofopportunity. Access to low-income housing, quality education, stable employment, andadequate mental-health services are what keep a community safe. I would very much liketo see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut, so thatthis city can more properly invest in other necessary services(3).
From:Kaleb Beavers
To:Agenda
Subject:Concerns regarding the proposed budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 5:55:13 PM
To whom it may concern:
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money for
policing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community. As you are
probably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” all across this
country in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of the
police, and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful protestors in the aftermath.
These calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communities
from crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every year in the United
States are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, a
drug that is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve a
small percentage of violent crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PD
solves less than 30% of violent crimes in our community(2). What keeps communities safe
from crime is not their investments in police, but their investments in programs that attack
the underlying causes of crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack of
opportunity. Access to low-income housing, quality education, stable employment, and
adequate mental-health services are what keep a community safe. I would very much like
to see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut, so that
this city can more properly invest in other necessary services(3).
Citations
1.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-
statistics-say-no.html
2.
https://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-
now-you-can-find-out
3.
https://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
-Kaleb Beavers
From:HELEEN BLOETHE
To:Agenda
Subject:Concerns regarding proposed budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 5:44:07 PM
To Whom it may concern,
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots too much money forpolicing and far too little for funds that could strengthen our community. What keeps
communities safe from crime is not their investments in police, but their investments inprograms that address the underlying causes of crime; homelessness,addiction,discrimination,
and lack of opportunity. Access to low income housing, quality education, stable employment,and adequate mental health services are what keep a community safe. I would like to see the
Bozeman Police Department budget cut and invest in other necessary services. Thank you,
Heleen Bloethe
From:Susan Allen
To:Agenda
Subject:Funding of Bozeman police department
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 5:31:45 PM
Dear City Leaders,
Over the last few weeks I have learned a great deal about police department size, department
policies and systemic racism. As I white woman with a high income, I never questioned therole of police in my community. I have always viewed the police as a source of protection, but
many other people in our community do not. Black, indigenous and people of color havesuffered generational trauma due to systemic racism in police departments.
My family has had two incidents involving my white daughter and public intoxication. The
first incident, on her 21 birthday, involved a call for us to take her home even though herboyfriend callEd the police because she was violent with him. During the second incident, I
watched a female officer try for over an hour to get her into our car. In the end, she spent thenight in jail.
I am proud of the response from the Bozeman police, however I cannot discount that my
daughter was treated respectfully because she was white. I also witnessed the time an energythat officers spend on alcohol violations in Bozeman.
I believe it would better serve our community if the police were not involved in drug and
alcohol interdictions. I respectfully request an evaluation of the police funding. It is time tofund other health measures.
Thank you,
Susan Allen
From:kris king
To:Agenda
Subject:[SUSPICIOUS MESSAGE] Proposed Budget Concerns
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 5:30:46 PM
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Hi, I am a Bozeman native and MSU graduate and concerned about my beloved home town. The proposed
municipal budget for 2021 disproportionately allocates funds to policing over the critical resources that address the
heart of issues that - when left unaddressed - escalate and are left up to police. The police force as a whole is not
properly trained in sociology, mental health crisis, substance abuse, sexual violence, and other issues so they often
escalate and exacerbate problems. People of color have long been targeted in Bozeman and disproportionately
punished and policing is a common tool in this injustice.
While many believe the larger the police budget the safer the community, this is demonstrably false. The majority of
people arrested every year in the United States are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for
marijuana, a drug that is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco. Additionally, police solve a small percentage
of violent crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PD solves less than 30% of violent crimes in our
community. What keeps communities safe from crime is not their investments in police, but their investments in
programs that attack the underlying causes of crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack of
opportunity. Access to low-income housing, quality education, stable employment, and adequate mental-health
services are what keep a community safe. I would very much like to see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a
full third (!) city’s proposal, reduced and those resources be invested by the city in more effective services.
Thank you for your time, I know serving on the Commission is a truly thankless job! All the best to you in your
difficult work, Kris
kris king
work email: buzzmemedia@gmail.com
cell: 406.222.4848
The wind shows us how close to the edge we are. ~Joan Didion
From:Aloha Johnson
To:Agenda
Subject:Proposed FY 2021 budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 4:58:22 PM
To the Bozeman City Commission:
I am writing to express my concern that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allocates
too much money toward policing and not enough money to other services needed in our
community.
We need more money invested in programs that will help combat the causes for crime.
Homelessness, addiction, discrimination and lmental health issues all need to be
addressed and funded. Low-income housing, quality education, stable employment, and
adequate mental-health services will help to keep our community safe and provide
assistance to those who need it.
Please consider cutting the police department's budget (currently ⅓ of the city’s proposed
budget), so that these funds can be invested in other necessary services.
Sincerely,
Aloha Johnson
1.
From:Jack Stewart
To:Agenda
Subject:Concerns regarding proposed budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 4:22:26 PM
To whom it may concern:
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money for
policing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community. As you are
probably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” all across this
country in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of the
police, and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful protestors in the aftermath.
These calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communities
from crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every year in the United
States are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, a
drug that is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve a
small percentage of violent crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PD
solves less than 30% of violent crimes in our community(2). What keeps communities safe
from crime is not their investments in police, but their investments in programs that attack
the underlying causes of crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack of
opportunity. Access to low-income housing, quality education, stable employment, and
adequate mental-health services are what keep a community safe. I would very much like
to see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut, so that
this city can more properly invest in other necessary services(3).
Citations
1. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-
statistics-say-no.html
2. https://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-
now-you-can-find-out
3. https://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
Regards,
John Stewart
From:Alex Tita
To:Agenda
Subject:2021 budget concerns
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 4:15:49 PM
To whom it may concern:
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money forpolicing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community. As you areprobably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” all across this
country in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of thepolice, and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful protestors in the aftermath.These calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communitiesfrom crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every year in the UnitedStates are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, a
drug that is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve asmall percentage of violent crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PDsolves less than 30% of violent crimes in our community(2). What keeps communities safefrom crime is not their investments in police, but their investments in programs that attack
the underlying causes of crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack ofopportunity. Access to low-income housing, quality education, stable employment, andadequate mental-health services are what keep a community safe. I would very much liketo see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut, so thatthis city can more properly invest in other necessary services(3).
Citationshttps://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-statistics-say-no.htmlhttps://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-now-you-can-find-out
https://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
From:Caitlin H
To:Agenda
Subject:Bozeman"s budget concerns
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 4:14:13 PM
To whom it may concern:
My name is Caitlin, and I have been a resident of Bozeman for the last 4 years.
Before the election for city commission that re-elected Cindy Andrus and elected Michael
Wallner, there was a Forward MT forum at city hall that I attended to get a better
understanding of candidates and who I wanted to vote for. I spoke with Michael Wallner
afterwards. Michael, if you are reading this, I hope that you remember this moment since I
would hope that my impression is wrong and that you really did take my question seriously
and carried it home with you, even until today.
After the forum, I asked you one-on-one what your thoughts and plans were to address white
supremacy in Bozeman. You were visibly startled and confused and said that there is not any
significant white supremacy activity in Bozeman but you would look into it. You kept
reassuring me that you wanted to hear from me since that was the attractive side to your
platform (hiring people to canvas and hear from Bozeman residents). You wrote me off
multiple times even though I stood there, waiting for you to return to our conversation after
you left it countless times to say hi to people who looked to me like networking opportunities.
I am just a small piece of the campaign puzzle, I get it, but the words "white supremacy" and
their inherently violent nature didn't seem to strike you much as a pressing problem. An
appropriate response could have been, "you know, I don't know, but I'm willing to try. Let's
come up with a plan right here right now to talk more about this. Let's not leave tonight
without a plan of some kind." Multiple people approached me afterwards since they saw the
interaction and wanted to know if their eyes deceived them or if you had really just blown me
off so many times.
Not long after then, there were "IT'S OKAY TO BE WHITE" posters and other known white
supremacist materials posted around campus and town. As far as I know, there was no city
response to the situation, but please correct me if I'm wrong. I hope Michael Wallner looked
into this situation since it was confirmation to my question and a reminder that woah believe it
or not, white supremacy lives here.
My point is that I'm disappointed by these previous interactions and lack of historical
action on Bozeman's end, but I am also hopeful. I am hopeful that Bozeman will be on
the right side of history. It could be a stretch, but I hope Bozeman could make it big in
history books since we have the great opportunity to make big changes and be an
example for other towns and cities across the nation and globe. I hope you all, our
leaders, think bigger and better to bend the status quo. Don't follow what most cities are
doing right now: paying lip service to those upset and making "promises" in order to
reassure and dissolve a movement. Be progressive in ways that harness these tumultuous
times and answer to the calls of our citizens, brothers, sisters, and families.
Change is a slow process, but it doesn't have to be.
I'm sure you have received the below email already, but here it is again to remind you that we
must defund the police and divest and invest funds into social services that would prevent the
need for police.
Thank you for your time. I look forward to hearing back from you on this subject matter.
Caitlin
_____________________________
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much
money for policing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community.
As you are probably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the
Police” all across this country in response to the murders of George Floyd and
Breonna Taylor at the hands of the police, and the acts of police brutality inflicted
upon peaceful protestors in the aftermath. These calls are not, and should not be,
confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our
communities from crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every
year in the United States are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug
arrests are for marijuana, a drug that is less dangerous than either alcohol or
tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve a small percentage of violent crimes. The most
recent data tells us that the Bozeman PD solves less than 30% of violent crimes in
our community(2). What keeps communities safe from crime is not their investments
in police, but their investments in programs that attack the underlying causes of
crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack of opportunity. Access to
low-income housing, quality education, stable employment, and adequate mental-
health services are what keep a community safe. I would very much like to see the
Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut, so that this
city can more properly invest in other necessary services(3).
Citations
1.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-
statistics-say-no.html
2.
https://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-
now-you-can-find-out
3.
https://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
-- Caitlin Holzer
She/Her/Hers
From:Lena Schiffer
To:Agenda
Subject:Concerns regarding proposed budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 4:08:54 PM
To whom it may concern:
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money for
policing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community. As you are
probably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” all across this
country in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of the
police, and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful protestors in the aftermath.
These calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communities
from crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every year in the United
States are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, a
drug that is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve a
small percentage of violent crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PD
solves less than 30% of violent crimes in our community(2). What keeps communities safe
from crime is not their investments in police, but their investments in programs that attack
the underlying causes of crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack of
opportunity. Access to low-income housing, quality education, stable employment, and
adequate mental-health services are what keep a community safe. I would very much like
to see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut, so that
this city can more properly invest in other necessary services(3).
Sincerely,
Lena Schiffer
Citations
1.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-
statistics-say-no.html
2.
https://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-
now-you-can-find-out
3.
https://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
From:olivia andrus
To:Agenda
Subject:Concerns regarding proposed budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 3:38:09 PM
To whom it may concern:
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money for
policing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community. As you are
probably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” all across this
country in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of the
police, and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful protestors in the aftermath.
These calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communities
from crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every year in the United
States are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, a
drug that is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve a
small percentage of violent crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PD
solves less than 30% of violent crimes in our community(2). What keeps communities safe
from crime is not their investments in police, but their investments in programs that attack
the underlying causes of crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack of
opportunity. Access to low-income housing, quality education, stable employment, and
adequate mental-health services are what keep a community safe. I would very much like
to see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut, so that
this city can more properly invest in other necessary services(3).
Concerned Citizen of Bozeman.
Citations
1.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-
statistics-say-no.html
2.
https://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-
now-you-can-find-out
3.
https://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
From:Meadow Jones
To:Agenda
Subject:Concerns regarding proposed budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 3:36:42 PM
To whom it may concern:
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money for
policing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community. As you are
probably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” all across this
country in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of the
police, and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful protestors in the aftermath.
These calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communities
from crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every year in the United
States are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, a
drug that is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve a
small percentage of violent crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PD
solves less than 30% of violent crimes in our community(2). What keeps communities safe
from crime is not their investments in police, but their investments in programs that attack
the underlying causes of crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack of
opportunity. Access to low-income housing, quality education, stable employment, and
adequate mental-health services are what keep a community safe. I would very much like
to see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut, so that
this city can more properly invest in other necessary services(3).
Thank you,
Meadow Jones
Citations
1.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-
statistics-say-no.html
2.
https://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-
now-you-can-find-out
3.
https://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
From:Jamie McEvoy
To:Agenda
Subject:Concerns re: proposed budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 3:29:14 PM
To whom it may concern:
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money forpolicing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community. As you are
probably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” all across thiscountry in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of thepolice, and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful protestors in the aftermath.These calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communitiesfrom crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every year in the United
States are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, adrug that is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve asmall percentage of violent crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PDsolves less than 30% of violent crimes in our community(2). What keeps communities safe
from crime is not their investments in police, but their investments in programs that attackthe underlying causes of crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack ofopportunity. Access to low-income housing, quality education, stable employment, andadequate mental-health services are what keep a community safe. I would very much like
to see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut, so thatthis city can more properly invest in other necessary services(3).
Citationshttps://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-statistics-say-no.htmlhttps://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-
now-you-can-find-outhttps://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
Thank you,Jamie McEvoy
From:kate shupe
To:Agenda
Subject:Concerns regarding proposed budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 3:25:27 PM
To whom it may concern:
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money for
policing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community. As you are
probably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” all across this
country in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of the
police, and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful protestors in the aftermath.
These calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communities
from crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every year in the United
States are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, a
drug that is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve a
small percentage of violent crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PD
solves less than 30% of violent crimes in our community(2). What keeps communities safe
from crime is not their investments in police, but their investments in programs that attack
the underlying causes of crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack of
opportunity. Access to low-income housing, quality education, stable employment, and
adequate mental-health services are what keep a community safe. I would very much like
to see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut, so that
this city can more properly invest in other necessary services(3).
Citations
1.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-
statistics-say-no.html
2.
https://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-
now-you-can-find-out
3.
https://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
From:Hannah Massey
To:Agenda
Subject:Concerns regarding the 2021 proposed budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 3:25:11 PM
To whom it may concern:
I am writing in opposition to the proposed municipal budget for 2021. It seems that this new
proposal is hoping to allocate 32% this year's fiscal budget to policing. This year has been a strange
one, but the people’s call to defund the police I believe is a valid one. We have a criminal justice
system that continues to treat people better if they are rich and guilty and white than if they are poor,
innocent, and black (1). We are witnessing police brutality as black lives are being thrown away by
the excessive violence practiced within cop culture. I’m witnessing police harassment and merciless
attacks of peaceful protestors at the behest of our 45th president. Nationwide cops are acting
illegally, becoming the criminals they claim to stand against. The right to peacefully assemble is
America’s First Amendment Right; however, it seems that cops are so under-educated in relation to
the law that they are ones left breaking them—on camera and by command of the Commander and
Chief.
I don’t think all cops are bad. I’ve actually had many great encounters with Bozeman cops;
however, I think our police forces, nationally, have lost their way. Police are supposed to work for
American citizens not against them. Our prison systems are no longer serving as rehabilitation
centers, but as ghettos that only breed and reinforce criminality. “Today, we have the highest rate of
incarceration in the world. The prison population has increased from 300,000 people in the early
1970s to 2.3 million people today. There are nearly six million people on probation or on parole” (1).
Furthermore, “some states have no minimum age for prosecuting children as adults; we’ve sent a
quarter million kids to adult jails and prisons to serve long prison terms, some under the age of
twelve. For years, we’ve been the only country in the world that condemns children to life
imprisonment without parole; nearly 3,000 juveniles have been sentenced to die in prison. Hundreds
of thousands of nonviolent offenders have been forced to spend decades in prison. We’ve created
laws that make writing a bad check or committing a petty theft or minor property crime an offense
that can result in life imprisonment. We have declared a costly war on people with substance abuse
problems. We ban poor women and, inevitably, their children from receiving food stamps and public
housing if they have prior drug convictions. We have created a new caste system that forces
thousands of people into homelessness, bans them from living with their families and in their
communities, and renders them virtually unemployable. Some states permanently strip people with
criminal convictions of the right to vote; as a result, in several Southern states disenfranchisement of
African American men has reached levels unseen since before the Voting Rights Act of 1965” (1).
With all of that being said, police serve as the foot soldiers of mass incarceration. Also, we
see in Bozeman, black men receiving higher bails for lesser crimes in comparison to white men
being charged with violent crimes—white men accused of raping children are receiving leninancy in
our court houses while black men who were caught stealing items out of unlocked cars are receiving
harsher punishment and greater media attention. I’ve also witnessed cops throw young white men to
the ground during things like Music on Main, using an exorbitant amount of force. I know in my
heart those cops did not fear for their lives as they arrested boys peeing in alleyways behind bars
while throwing their limp, drunk bodies to the cement.
I understand that many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our
communities from crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every year in the
United States are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, a drug
that is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco (2). Additionally, police solve a small
percentage of violent crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PD solves less than
30% of violent crimes in our community (3). What keeps communities safe from crime is not their
investments in police, but their investments in programs that attack the underlying causes of crime;
homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack of opportunity. Access to low-income housing,
quality education, stable employment, and adequate mental-health services are what keep a
community safe. I would very much like to see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of
the city’s proposal, cut, so that this city can more properly invest in other necessary services (4).
Thank you for your time,
Hannah Massey
From:Josi
To:Agenda
Subject:Concerns regarding proposed budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 3:24:16 PM
To whom it may concern:
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money forpolicing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community. As you are
probably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” all across thiscountry in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of thepolice, and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful protestors in the aftermath.These calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communitiesfrom crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every year in the United
States are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, adrug that is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve asmall percentage of violent crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PDsolves less than 30% of violent crimes in our community(2). What keeps communities safe
from crime is not their investments in police, but their investments in programs that attackthe underlying causes of crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack ofopportunity. Access to low-income housing, quality education, stable employment, andadequate mental-health services are what keep a community safe. I would very much like
to see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut, so thatthis city can more properly invest in other necessary services(3).
Citationshttps://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-statistics-say-no.htmlhttps://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-
now-you-can-find-outhttps://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
From:Emma Weinmann
To:Agenda
Subject:Subject: Concerns regarding proposed budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 3:20:20 PM
To whom it may concern:
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money for
policing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community. As you are
probably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” all across this
country in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of the
police, and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful protestors in the aftermath.
These calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communities
from crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every year in the United
States are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, a
drug that is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve a
small percentage of violent crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PD
solves less than 30% of violent crimes in our community(2). What keeps communities safe
from crime is not their investments in police, but their investments in programs that attack
the underlying causes of crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack of
opportunity. Access to low-income housing, quality education, stable employment, and
adequate mental-health services are what keep a community safe. I would very much like
to see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut, so that
this city can more properly invest in other necessary services including mental health and
homelessness services, community gardens, food access, employment services, and youth
empowerment programs(3).
Sincerely,
Emma Weinmann, RD
Citations
1.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-
statistics-say-no.html
2.
https://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-
now-you-can-find-out
3.
https://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
From:Turi Hetherington
To:Agenda
Subject:Concerns regarding proposed budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 3:15:04 PM
To whom it may concern:
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money for
policing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community. As you are
probably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” all across this
country in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of the
police, and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful protestors in the aftermath.
These calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communities
from crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every year in the United
States are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, a
drug that is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve a
small percentage of violent crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PD
solves less than 30% of violent crimes in our community(2). What keeps communities safe
from crime is not their investments in police, but their investments in programs that attack
the underlying causes of crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack of
opportunity. Access to low-income housing, quality education, stable employment, and
adequate mental-health services are what keep a community safe. I would very much like
to see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut, so that
this city can more properly invest in other necessary services(3).
Citations
1.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-
statistics-say-no.html
2.
https://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-
now-you-can-find-out
3.
https://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
Take care of yourself and each other,
Turi Hetherington
RYT500, YACEP, iRest Level 2 Teacher406.581.3636
TURI.YOGA
From:Claire Hinther
To:Agenda
Subject:Concerns regarding proposed budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 3:09:01 PM
To whom it may concern:
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money for
policing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community. As you are
probably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” all across this
country in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of the
police, and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful protestors in the aftermath.
These calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communities
from crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every year in the United
States are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, a
drug that is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve a
small percentage of violent crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PD
solves less than 30% of violent crimes in our community(2). What keeps communities safe
from crime is not their investments in police, but their investments in programs that attack
the underlying causes of crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack of
opportunity. Access to low-income housing, quality education, stable employment, and
adequate mental-health services are what keep a community safe. I would very much like
to see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut, so that
this city can more properly invest in other necessary services(3).
I believe that this restructuring of the budget is essential to create a community in which we are
investing in Black, indigenous, and other Montanans of color in our communities. Let's invest in
Black and Indigenous Bozeman through the movement of funds away from police and towards
education, public transportation, infrastructure, education, sustainability, and other causes that
actually impact our community positively. I know that Bozeman's City Commission can do better
than this.
Yours in justice,
Claire Hinther
Citations
1.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-
statistics-say-no.html
2.
https://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-
now-you-can-find-out
3.
https://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
From:Jackson St Clair
To:Agenda
Subject:Proposed Budget Concerns
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 3:00:05 PM
To whom it may concern,
I believe that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money for policing
and far too little for funds that strengthen our community. As you are probably aware, there
has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” all across this country in response to
the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other citizens at the hands of the police,
and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful protestors in the aftermath. These
calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communities
from crime. This is simply not true. Police solve a small percentage of violent crimes. The
most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PD solves less than 30% of violent crimes in
our community (1). What keeps communities safe from crime is not their investments in
police, but their investments in programs that attack the underlying causes of crime;
homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack of opportunity. Access to low-income
housing, quality education, stable employment, and adequate mental health services are
what keep a community safe. I would very much like to see the Bozeman PD’s budget,
which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut, so that this city can more properly invest
in other necessary services (1).
Citations
1.
https://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-
now-you-can-find-out
2.
https://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
From:Catherine Behme
To:Agenda
Subject:Concerns regarding proposed budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 2:59:45 PM
To whom it may concern:
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money for
policing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community. As you are
probably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” all across this
country in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of the
police, and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful protestors in the aftermath.
These calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communities
from crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every year in the United
States are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, a
drug that is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve a
small percentage of violent crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PD
solves less than 30% of violent crimes in our community(2). What keeps communities safe
from crime is not their investments in police, but their investments in programs that attack
the underlying causes of crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack of
opportunity. Access to low-income housing, quality education, stable employment,
and adequate mental-health services are what keep a community safe. I would very
much like to see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal,
cut, so that this city can more properly invest in other necessary services(3).
Citations
1.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-
statistics-say-no.html
2.
https://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-
now-you-can-find-out
3.
https://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
Thank you.
Katie Behme
-- Catherine Behme
cebehme@gmail.com ¦ (630) 246-1319
Admissions Coordinator¦ Bozeman Field SchoolSki Education Instructor¦ Crosscut Mountain Sports
From:Mahala Moran
To:Agenda
Subject:Concerns regarding proposed budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 2:58:01 PM
To whom it may concern:
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money for
policing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community. As you are
probably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” all across this
country in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of the
police, and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful protestors in the aftermath.
These calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communities
from crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every year in the United
States are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, a
drug that is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve a
small percentage of violent crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PD
solves less than 30% of violent crimes in our community(2). What keeps communities safe
from crime is not their investments in police, but their investments in programs that attack
the underlying causes of crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack of
opportunity. Access to low-income housing, quality education, stable employment, and
adequate mental-health services are what keep a community safe. I would very much like
to see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut, so that
this city can more properly invest in other necessary services(3).
Citations
1.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-
statistics-say-no.html
2.
https://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-
now-you-can-find-out
3.
https://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
From:Tindall Ouverson
To:Agenda
Subject:Concerns regarding proposed budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 2:57:29 PM
Good afternoon,
I wanted to share my concern that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too
much money for policing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community.
As you are probably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” all
across this country in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the
hands of the police, and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful protestors in the
aftermath. These calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communities
from crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every year in the United
States are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, a
drug that is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco(1). Recreational use of marijuana
is also likely to be decriminalized in Montana within the next few years, which would
decrease arrests for drug charges. Additionally, police solve a small percentage of violent
crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PD solves less than 30% of violent
crimes in our community(2). What keeps communities safe from crime is not their
investments in police, but their investments in programs that attack the underlying causes
of crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack of opportunity. Access to low-
income housing, quality education, stable employment, and adequate mental-health
services are what keep a community safe. I would very much like to see the Bozeman PD’s
budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut (by even 12-15% to start), so that
this city can more properly invest in other necessary services(3).
Thank you for your time,
Tindall Ouverson
Citations
1.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-
statistics-say-no.html
2.
https://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-
now-you-can-find-out
3.
https://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
From:Mikaela Byers
To:Agenda
Subject:Concerns with proposed municipal budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 2:55:58 PM
Dear Bozeman City Commission,
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money forpolicing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community. As you areprobably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” all across thiscountry in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of the
police, and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful protestors in the aftermath.These calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communitiesfrom crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every year in the UnitedStates are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, adrug that is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve a
small percentage of violent crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PDsolves less than 30% of violent crimes in our community(2). What keeps communities safefrom crime is not their investments in police, but their investments in programs that attackthe underlying causes of crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack of
opportunity. Access to low-income housing, quality education, stable employment, andadequate mental-health services are what keep a community safe. I would very much liketo see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut, so thatthis city can more properly invest in other necessary services(3).
Thank you for your time and consideration. This decision has huge impacts for BIPOCresidents of our city.
Kind regards,
Mikaela Byers
Citationshttps://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-statistics-say-no.html
https://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-now-you-can-find-outhttps://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
From:agenda@bozeman.net
To:Agenda
Subject:Thank you for your public comment.
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 2:54:45 PM
A new entry to a form/survey has been submitted.
Form Name:Public Comment Form
Date & Time:06/12/2020 2:54 PM
Response #:414
Submitter ID:27570
IP address:69.145.62.223
Time to complete:0 min. , 46 sec.
Survey Details
Page 1
Public comment may be submitted via the form below, or by any of the following options.
Public comment may also be given at any public meeting.
Email:
agenda@bozeman.net
Mail to:
Attn: City Commission
PO Box 1230
Bozeman, MT 59771
In-person delivery to:
Due to City Hall's closure in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, in-person delivery of comments is not
available until further notice.
First Name Hannah
Last Name Jacoby
Email Address hwjacoby@gmail.com
Phone Number 312.718.9730
Comments
Bozeman City Commission,
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money for policing and far
too little for funds that actually strengthen our community. As you are probably aware, there has been a
tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” all across this country in response to the murders of George Floyd
and Breonna Taylor at the hands of the police, and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful
protestors in the aftermath. These calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communities from crime. This
is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every year in the United States are arrested on drug
charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, a drug that is less dangerous than either alcohol
or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve a small percentage of violent crimes. The most recent data tells us
that the Bozeman PD solves less than 30% of violent crimes in our community(2). What keeps communities
safe from crime is not their investments in police, but their investments in programs that attack the
underlying causes of crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack of opportunity. Access to low-
income housing, quality education, stable employment, and adequate mental-health services are what
keep a community safe. I would very much like to see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of
the city’s proposal, cut, so that this city can more properly invest in other necessary services(3).
Citations
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-statistics-say-no.html
https://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-now-you-can-find-
out
https://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
If you would like to submit additional documents (.pdf, .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .gif, .jpg, .png, .rtf, .txt)
along with your comment, you may alternately address agenda@bozeman.net directly to ensure
receipt of all information.
Thank you,
City Of Bozeman
This is an automated message generated by the Vision Content Management System™. Please do not reply
directly to this email.
From:Julia Shaida
To:Agenda
Subject:proposed budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 2:53:44 PM
To whom it may concern:
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots too much money for
policing and too little for funds that actually strengthen our community. What can Bozeman
do to shift funds toward programs that address lack of affordable housing, that support
mental health care services, that offer addiction counseling rather than criminalizing drug
possession.
As you are probably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police."
These calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
The majority of people arrested every year in the United States are arrested on drug
charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, a drug that is less dangerous
than either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve a small percentage of violent
crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PD solves less than 30% of violent
crimes in our community(2). What keeps communities safe from crime is not their
investments in police, but their investments in programs that attack the underlying causes
of crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack of opportunity. Access to low-
income housing, quality education, stable employment, and adequate mental-health
services are what keep a community safe. I would very much like to see us make our
priority investing in people not policing (3).
--Julia Shaida, 621 N. Bozeman Avenue
Citations
1.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-
statistics-say-no.html
2.
https://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-
now-you-can-find-out
3.
https://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
From:Dana Schwartz
To:Agenda
Subject:Budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 2:53:34 PM
Hello,
Please lower the police budget this year! They don’t need that much money
pleas think about redistributing money to other programs!
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our
communities from crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people
arrested every year in the United States are arrested on drug charges, and
the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, a drug that is less dangerous
than either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve a small
percentage of violent crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman
PD solves less than 30% of violent crimes in our community(2). What keeps
communities safe from crime is not their investments in police, but their
investments in programs that attack the underlying causes of crime;
homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack of opportunity. Access to
low-income housing, quality education, stable employment, and adequate
mental-health services are what keep a community safe. I would very much
like to see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s
proposal, cut, so that this city can more properly invest in other necessary
services(3).
Citations
1. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-
over-arrest-statistics-say-no.html
2. https://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-
your-police-clear-now-you-can-find-out
3. https://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
Thank you,
Dana
From:Casey Adams
To:Agenda
Subject:Concerns About Proposed City Budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 2:53:16 PM
To whom it may concern:
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money forpolicing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community. As you areprobably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” all across this
country in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of thepolice, and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful protestors in the aftermath.These calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communitiesfrom crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every year in the UnitedStates are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, a
drug that is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve asmall percentage of violent crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PDsolves less than 30% of violent crimes in our community(2). What keeps communities safefrom crime is not their investments in police, but their investments in programs that attack
the underlying causes of crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack ofopportunity. Access to low-income housing, quality education, stable employment, andadequate mental-health services are what keep a community safe. I would very much liketo see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut, so thatthis city can more properly invest in other necessary services(3).
I care deeply about this community and it’s welfare. It’s future depends upon strengtheningour children’s education and supporting the people in our community, not funding the policeforce.
Sincerely,Casey Adams
Citationshttps://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-statistics-say-no.html
https://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-now-you-can-find-outhttps://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
--
Casey L Adams
From:Clara
To:Agenda
Subject:FY 2021 budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 2:52:20 PM
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money forpolicing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community. As you are
probably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” all across thiscountry in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of thepolice, and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful protestors in the aftermath.These calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communitiesfrom crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every year in the United
States are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, adrug that is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve asmall percentage of violent crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PDsolves less than 30% of violent crimes in our community(2). What keeps communities safe
from crime is not their investments in police, but their investments in programs that attackthe underlying causes of crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack ofopportunity. Access to low-income housing, quality education, stable employment, andadequate mental-health services are what keep a community safe. I would very much liketo see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut, so thatthis city can more properly invest in other necessary services(3).
Citationshttps://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-statistics-say-no.htmlhttps://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-
now-you-can-find-outhttps://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
From:Zak Bryson
To:Agenda
Subject:My concerns about the next years budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 2:50:40 PM
To whom it may concern:
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money for
policing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community. As you are
probably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” all across this
country in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of the
police, and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful protestors in the aftermath.
These calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communities
from crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every year in the United
States are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, a
drug that is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve a
small percentage of violent crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PD
solves less than 30% of violent crimes in our community(2). What keeps communities safe
from crime is not their investments in police, but their investments in programs that attack
the underlying causes of crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack of
opportunity. Access to low-income housing, quality education, stable employment, and
adequate mental-health services are what keep a community safe. I would very much like
to see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut, so that
this city can more properly invest in other necessary services(3).
Personally, I would appreciate more care and consideration be given to strengthening
community efforts and programs while defunding and removing accountability for programs
better run elsewhere from the Police. I know that Bozeman continues to grow, and care
should be taken to strengthen all aspects of community development, not just the Police
Department. 30% is too high an allocation, I would like to see it under 20% over the next 3
years.
Thanks,
Zak Bryson
Citations
1.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-
statistics-say-no.html
2.
https://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-
now-you-can-find-out
3.
https://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
From:Ken
To:Agenda
Subject:Concerns regarding proposed budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 2:48:55 PM
To whom it may concern:
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money forpolicing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community. As you areprobably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” all across thiscountry in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of the
police, and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful protestors in the aftermath.These calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communitiesfrom crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every year in the UnitedStates are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, adrug that is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve a
small percentage of violent crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PDsolves less than 30% of violent crimes in our community(2). What keeps communities safefrom crime is not their investments in police, but their investments in programs that attackthe underlying causes of crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack of
opportunity. Access to low-income housing, quality education, stable employment, andadequate mental-health services are what keep a community safe. I would very much liketo see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut, so thatthis city can more properly invest in other necessary services(3).
Citationshttps://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-
statistics-say-no.htmlhttps://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-now-you-can-find-outhttps://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
Sincerely,
Kenneth Houck
Belgrade, MT
From:Mary Lacher
To:Agenda
Subject:Concerns regarding proposed budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 2:44:47 PM
To whom it may concern:
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money for
policing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community. As you are
probably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” all across this
country in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of the
police, and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful protestors in the aftermath.
These calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communities
from crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every year in the United
States are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, a
drug that is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve a
small percentage of violent crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PD
solves less than 30% of violent crimes in our community(2). What keeps communities safe
from crime is not their investments in police, but their investments in programs that attack
the underlying causes of crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack of
opportunity. Access to low-income housing, quality education, stable employment, and
adequate mental-health services are what keep a community safe. I would very much like
to see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut, so that
this city can more properly invest in other necessary services(3).
Citations
1.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-
statistics-say-no.html
2.
https://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-
now-you-can-find-out
3.
https://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
--
Best,Mary Lacher
From:Grace Fleming
To:Agenda
Subject:Subject: Concerns regarding proposed budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 2:43:33 PM
To whom it may concern:
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money forpolicing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community. As you areprobably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” all across this
country in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of thepolice, and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful protestors in the aftermath.These calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communitiesfrom crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every year in the UnitedStates are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, a
drug that is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve asmall percentage of violent crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PDsolves less than 30% of violent crimes in our community(2). What keeps communities safefrom crime is not their investments in police, but their investments in programs that attack
the underlying causes of crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack ofopportunity. Access to low-income housing, quality education, stable employment, andadequate mental-health services are what keep a community safe. I would very much liketo see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut, so thatthis city can more properly invest in other necessary services(3).
Citations1. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-statistics-say-no.html2. https://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-now-you-can-find-out
3. https://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
Grace Fleming
From:Mason Martinez
To:Agenda
Subject:Concerns regarding proposed budget!
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 2:37:16 PM
To whom it may concern:
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money forpolicing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community. As you areprobably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” all across this
country in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of thepolice, and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful protestors in the aftermath.These calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communitiesfrom crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every year in the UnitedStates are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, a
drug that is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve asmall percentage of violent crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PDsolves less than 30% of violent crimes in our community(2). What keeps communities safefrom crime is not their investments in police, but their investments in programs that attack
the underlying causes of crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack ofopportunity. Access to low-income housing, quality education, stable employment, andadequate mental-health services are what keep a community safe. I would very much liketo see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut, so thatthis city can more properly invest in other necessary services(3).
From:Hannah Van Wetter
To:Agenda
Subject:Concerns Regarding Proposed Budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 2:35:48 PM
To whom it may concern:
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money for
policing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community. As you are
probably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” all across this
country in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of the
police, and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful protestors in the aftermath.
These calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communities
from crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every year in the United
States are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, a
drug that is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve a
small percentage of violent crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PD
solves less than 30% of violent crimes in our community(2). What keeps communities safe
from crime is not their investments in police, but their investments in programs that attack
the underlying causes of crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack of
opportunity. Access to low-income housing, quality education, stable employment, and
adequate mental-health services are what keep a community safe. I would very much like
to see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut, so that
this city can more properly invest in other necessary services(3).
Thank you so much for all that you continue to do to lead our growing community forward,
and for considering this practical and powerful alteration that can set Bozeman apart and
truly change the lives of many people in our community.
Thank you,
Hannah Van Wetter
Citations
1.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-
statistics-say-no.html
2.
https://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-
now-you-can-find-out
3.
https://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
From:Annie Heuscher
To:Agenda
Subject:Comment on Budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 2:31:28 PM
To whom it may concern:
As a Bozeman resident, I want to state my opposition to the proposed municipal 2021
budget. It appears that 32% of the budget is allocated to the police and that is so
unnecessary. As communities around the nation are talking about defunding the police and
looking at communities that have far lower police presence as models, we are considering
maintaining/increasing our police budget? This is unnecessary and inappropriate. This is a
fantastic opportunity for us to learn about the challenges community members face with the
police and to choose to do something different. I strongly support fully defunding the police
and re-allocating those funds to community services that will help us to reduce poverty,
provide mental health services, and address some of the other early symptoms of crime.
Please do not move forward with this wildly over-budgeted police presence. It is not
necessary and it is not good for our community.
Thank you,
Annie Heuscher
7979 Chapman Rd
Bozeman, MT 59718
406-830-8218
From:Lauren Robison
To:Agenda
Subject:Concerns re: proposed budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 2:30:24 PM
To whom it may concern:
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money forpolicing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community. As you areprobably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” all across this
country in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of thepolice, and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful protestors in the aftermath.These calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communitiesfrom crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every year in the UnitedStates are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, a
drug that is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve asmall percentage of violent crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PDsolves less than 30% of violent crimes in our community(2). What keeps communities safefrom crime is not their investments in police, but their investments in programs that attack
the underlying causes of crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack ofopportunity. Access to low-income housing, quality education, stable employment, andadequate mental-health services are what keep a community safe. I would very much liketo see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut, so thatthis city can more properly invest in other necessary services(3).
Lauren Robison
Citationshttps://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-statistics-say-no.html
https://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-now-you-can-find-outhttps://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
From:myaeger19r@rcn.com
To:Agenda
Subject:Concerns regarding proposed budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 2:29:23 PM
To whom it may concern:
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much
money for policing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community.
As you are probably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the
Police” all across this country in response to the murders of George Floyd and
Breonna Taylor at the hands of the police, and the acts of police brutality inflicted
upon peaceful protestors in the aftermath. These calls are not, and should not be,confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our
communities from crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every
year in the United States are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug
arrests are for marijuana, a drug that is less dangerous than either alcohol or
tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve a small percentage of violent crimes. The most
recent data tells us that the Bozeman PD solves less than 30% of violent crimes in
our community(2). What keeps communities safe from crime is not their investmentsin police, but their investments in programs that attack the underlying causes of
crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack of opportunity. Access to
low-income housing, quality education, stable employment, and adequate mental-
health services are what keep a community safe. I would very much like to see theBozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut, so that this
city can more properly invest in other necessary services(3).
Citations
1. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-
statistics-say-no.html
2. https://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-
clear-now-you-can-find-out
3. https://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
Thank you, and have a wonderful day!
-Matthew Yaeger, Bozeman resident and voter
From:Emma Kelly
To:Agenda
Subject:Concerns regarding proposed budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 2:29:14 PM
To whom it may concern:
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money forpolicing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community. As you areprobably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” all across this
country in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of thepolice, and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful protestors in the aftermath.These calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communitiesfrom crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every year in the UnitedStates are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, a
drug that is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve asmall percentage of violent crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PDsolves less than 30% of violent crimes in our community(2). What keeps communities safefrom crime is not their investments in police, but their investments in programs that attack
the underlying causes of crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack ofopportunity. Access to low-income housing, quality education, stable employment, andadequate mental-health services are what keep a community safe. I would very much liketo see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut, so thatthis city can more properly invest in other necessary services(3).Thank you. Emma Kelly Bozeman, MT
Citationshttps://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-statistics-say-no.html
https://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-now-you-can-find-outhttps://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
-- Emma KellyHawthorne Roots 603-312-4183
From:Amber Prevedello
To:Agenda
Subject:Concerns Regarding Proposed Budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 2:28:55 PM
To whom it may concern:
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money for
policing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community. As you are
probably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” all across this
country in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of the
police, and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful protestors in the aftermath.
These calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communities
from crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every year in the United
States are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, a
drug that is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve a
small percentage of violent crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PD
solves less than 30% of violent crimes in our community(2). What keeps communities safe
from crime is not their investments in police, but their investments in programs that attack
the underlying causes of crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack of
opportunity. Access to low-income housing, quality education, stable employment, and
adequate mental-health services are what keep a community safe. I would very much like
to see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut, so that
this city can more properly invest in other necessary services(3).
Citations
1.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-
statistics-say-no.html
2.
https://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-
now-you-can-find-out
3.
https://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
From:Merryweather rosejoelewis
To:Agenda
Subject:Concerns regarding proposed budget -
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 2:28:20 PM
To whom it may concern:
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money for
policing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community. As you are
probably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” all across this
country in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of the
police, and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful protestors in the aftermath.
These calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communities
from crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every year in the United
States are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, a
drug that is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve a
small percentage of violent crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PD
solves less than 30% of violent crimes in our community(2). What keeps communities safe
from crime is not their investments in police, but their investments in programs that attack
the underlying causes of crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack of
opportunity. Access to low-income housing, quality education, stable employment, and
adequate mental-health services are what keep a community safe. I would very much like
to see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut, so that
this city can more properly invest in other necessary services(3).
Citations
1.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-
statistics-say-no.html
2.
https://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-
now-you-can-find-out
3.
https://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
From:Lydia Witter
To:Agenda
Subject:Proposed budget concerns
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 2:26:51 PM
To whom it may concern:
I am concerned that the proposed municipal budget for 2021 allots far too much money forpolicing and far too little for funds that actually strengthen our community. As you areprobably aware, there has been a tidal wave of calls to “Defund the Police” all across this
country in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of thepolice, and the acts of police brutality inflicted upon peaceful protestors in the aftermath.These calls are not, and should not be, confined to large urban areas.
Many people claim that massive police budgets are necessary to protect our communitiesfrom crime. This is simply not true. The majority of people arrested every year in the UnitedStates are arrested on drug charges, and the majority of drug arrests are for marijuana, a
drug that is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco(1). Additionally, police solve asmall percentage of violent crimes. The most recent data tells us that the Bozeman PDsolves less than 30% of violent crimes in our community(2). What keeps communities safefrom crime is not their investments in police, but their investments in programs that attack
the underlying causes of crime; homelessness, addiction, discrimination, and lack ofopportunity. Access to low-income housing, quality education, stable employment, andadequate mental-health services are what keep a community safe. I would very much liketo see the Bozeman PD’s budget, which takes up a full ⅓ of the city’s proposal, cut, so thatthis city can more properly invest in other necessary services(3).
Sincerely,Lydia Witter
Citationshttps://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/upshot/is-the-war-on-drugs-over-arrest-statistics-say-no.html
https://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/395799413/how-many-crimes-do-your-police-clear-now-you-can-find-outhttps://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?id=10356
Sent from my iPhone
From:Lorea Zabaleta
To:Agenda
Subject:Budget
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 2:24:48 PM
As a Bozeman resident, I am concerned with how much of our budgets goes to police. I believe the the council
should reconsider the amount and give more funding to other city programs that benefit everyone.
Lorea
From:Katie Veteto
To:Agenda
Subject:Defund the Gallatin County Police; re allocated funds to social programs
Date:Friday, June 12, 2020 12:39:40 PM
To the Bozeman City Commission,
My name is Katie Veteto and I am a resident of Gallatin County. I am writing to
demand that the City Commission adopts a budget that prioritizes community well-
being and redirects funding away from the police.
Many Montanans may be tempted to think the unique nature of such a vast, yet
sparsely-populated state minimizes the likelihood of police brutality in our small city
communities. However, as reported by the Billings Gazette last year, Montana ranked
ninth in killings by police per capita. In 2017, the Great Falls Tribune reported
Montana police killings reached a total higher than the previous six years. These
figures are alarming, but don’t tell the full story. Under Montana Code § 2-6-102 andArticle II, Section 10 of the Montana Constitution, police disciplinary records are
exempt from disclosure if there is an “individual privacy interest that clearly exceeds
the merits of public disclosure.” Montana police forces operate within a culture of
impunity, and as the members of the communities they are supposed to beprotecting, we can’t even begin to grasp the scope of their violence. I’m writing to
express my exasperation over these facts!
Nationwide we are amidst a monumental civil rights movement. And nationally and
locally, we are in the midst of widespread upheaval over the systemic violence ofpolicing. Empty gestures and suggestions of “reform” are inadequate and
unacceptable. I am demanding that real change be made to the way the city of
Bozeman allocates its resources.
Support for communities in need is necessary now, more than ever. I am demandingthat the City Commission meaningfully defund the Bozeman Police Department. I join
the calls of those across the country to defund the police. I am demanding a budget
that adequately and effectively meets the needs of at-risk Bozeman residents during
this trying and uncertain time. I am demanding a budget that supports communitywellbeing, rather than empowering the police forces that tear them apart. I’m happy to
continue this conversation with suggestions and thoughts on this issue, and I also
trust that you know how to and intend to support community wellbeing in Gallatin
County.
As the City Commission, 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, and to fund the social programs proven to be more effective
than policing at promoting community safety and equity. Have the courage to be aleader of the change this city, state, and country desperately needs.
Thank you for your time, Katie Veteto, 707 S 10th Ave, Bozeman, MT, 406-544-3385,
Katie.v.live@gmail.com