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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-22-21 Public Comment - M. Perrins (BURJ)- BudgetFrom:Madison Perrins To:Agenda Subject:public comment on city budget Date:Tuesday, June 22, 2021 9:20:50 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Dear Commissioner, After attending the most recent meeting to address the $6 million in ARPA funds Bozemanwill be receiving, BURJ (Bozeman United for Racial Justice) has feedback and concerns over the use of funds and the city’s budget in general. We’d also like to ask for follow up andclarification on statements made throughout the meeting about mental health concerns in Bozeman and police spending.The use and implementation of a crisis co responder program is a step in the right direction for imagining a public safety that actually helps people in Bozeman feel safe. BURJ is excited tosee the results of this program and ask how transparency of its successes or shortcomings will be communicated to the public. Also we’d like to add that while there is a perception thatofficers have a preference for the program, we have spoken with community members who have experienced the opposite and are strongly urging for oversight or training to address howwell the co responder program is used in tandem with existing resources. BURJ wholeheartedly backs Commissioner Coburn’s questioning of the existing policebudget, and supports his proposal of an increase in spending on the crisis co responder program as a way to create better health outcomes for the people of Bozeman that don’t relyon policing. We’d like to reiterate Commissioner Coburn’s concerns about an overall decrease in crisiscalls. We feel that while the police themselves may be receiving less calls, it doesn’t accurately reflect a decrease in need for services. In our own communities and groups we areobserving a stronger need for care than ever, which the city commissioners themselves have felt the pinch of and have responded by proposing to increase spending to improve theirpersonal health plans. Many are feeling this same need for health care that is not only affordable but also quality and reliable.Lastly we are troubled by the lack of clarity on the purpose and intent of the Public Safety Center, the staffing of which will be receiving the majority of the increase in police spending.The vagueness of the way the resources intend to be used is concerning. BURJ has an accurate picture from working with non-profits in the community of how that money could be betterspent in immediately improving lives most impacted by the pandemic and therefore struggling the most with safety. Most of these needs could be met easily—with a huge surplus to spare—by ARPA funds. Please see attached list for the most pressing needs in our town. BURJ will continue to pressure the commissioners to re-imagine public safety in a way thatdoesn’t depend on out of touch policing, but instead insight straight from our neighbors most affected by the problems we face as a community.Thank you, Bozeman United for Racial Justice Together with GGUW, the One Valley Community Foundation, and the SWMT COAD (Community Organizations Active in Disaster), have helped oversee the allocation of over $750,000 in COVID-19 Response grants since April 2020 to nonprofits across 4 counties: Gallatin, Madison, Meagher and Park. In the most recent grant making cycle, which just wrapped up this afternoon, they were able to allocate over $128,000 to about 22 organizations. But this was an extremely difficult and heart wrenching process because the CURRENT and CLEARLY expressed need from our nonprofit community is well over $750,000 (that we know of). In the past two weeks alone, these organizations along with a committee have reviewed over49 applications from organizations drastically and negatively impacted by COVID-19. They putthe $128k of privately raised dollars to the best use based on the info available, but as you cansee, the needs far outmatch the dollar amount at our disposal. These organizations and the thousands of individuals they serve need our help meeting their basic needs. Please invest in these organizations that work on-the-ground with the most vulnerable in our community. Based on the 6 million at your disposal, you could meet ALL of these needs and still have millions leftover. Needs include - Auto and home repairs Rent and utility assistance Access to mental health care & crisis response Suicide intervention Child care scholarships and support Summer youth programs Grocery and gas cards Diapers and baby food FirewoodPPE Staff burnout prevention, stress reduction, and mental/behavioral health supports Access to health care Technology reimbursements and upgrades Please prioritize these needs. By supporting organizations and individuals, we can truly recover. These are our community's most urgent needs. Nonprofit partners already have all the information from the grant applications and could assist in making those decisions or inothers ways help direct resources to help address the clear and urgent requests. Thank you for your consideration.