IMMEDIATE ADOPTION
Number
200259
Version
ORIGINAL
Reference
Sponsor
ALD. PEREZ, COGGS, DIMITRIJEVIC, JOHNSON, HAMILTON, KOVAC, BAUMAN, RAINEY, ZAMARRIPA, LEWIS, AND STAMPER, II
Title
Resolution directing the Budget Director to prepare a model 2021 budget for the Milwaukee Police Department reflecting a 10-percent reduction in its 2020 budget.
Analysis
This resolution directs the Budget Director to prepare a model 2021 budget for the Milwaukee Police Department reflecting a 10-percent decrease in its 2020 budget. It further expresses the Common Council's intention to use these funds for other purposes related to enhancing public health and safety.
Body
Whereas, The Milwaukee Police Department’s 2020 budget appropriation represents 45.4% of all General Fund departmental appropriations; and
Whereas, In the same budget, the appropriation to the Department of Public Works represented 18.3%, that to the Library represented 3.6%, and that to the Milwaukee Health Department represented a mere 2.2%; and
Whereas, The continued growth in the cost of the Milwaukee Police Department is not sustainable on its face and, perhaps worse, threatens to starve other, equally worth, City services of necessary resources; and
Whereas, Recent events have caused many to ask whether too much is asked of police officers and whether smaller, interpersonal matters are not better addressed by community groups and those trained in conflict resolution, peace-building, and similar disciplines; and
Whereas, There have been local and nationwide calls for reallocation of resources to services and agencies that work to address racism, poverty, joblessness, mental illness, and other underlying causes of criminal behavior; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, By the Common Council of the City of Milwaukee, that the Budget Director is directed to prepare a detailed, model 2021 budget for the Milwaukee Police Department reflecting a 10% reduction in its 2020 budget; and be it
Further ...
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