A Seattle City Council committee gave ground Tuesday in the fight with SPD over a proposal to cut another $5.4 million from the 2021 police budget to account for the department’s overspending on overtime.
The council previously sliced around 20% out of SPD’s spending for 2021 and shifted the money to other departments, and social and community programs in a compromise slice that many hope is the start to bringing real change to the way Seattle polices itself
But old wounds won out Tuesday as the council dropped its push to reclaim the money.
Instead, Crosscut reports the committee will cut only $3 million, reallocating the money to community funding and other departments while also identifying “roughly $5 million in salary savings that the police department may use to fill civilian positions, hire more mental health providers who would respond with officers, bolster the response to public disclosure requests, expand evidence storage and pay out money owed to officers leaving on their own accord. The money would not go directly toward hiring more patrol officers.”
SPD Chief Adrian Diaz and the powerful Seattle police union had pushed back on the planned cut citing growing staffing challenges and slower than acceptable 911 response times across the city.
In the 3-2 vote during Tuesday’s committee session moving the legislation forward, Councilmembers Tammy Morales and Kshama Sawant tallied the votes against the new proposal.
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I’m confused – I believe the demand (correct me if I’m wrong) was defund the SPD by 50% AT LEAST?! And no one listened?
At the very least, the $5.4 million should be directed to the wonderful work that is being done by the Black Brilliance Project. I have already learned so much about their needs, and we’re finally doing what should have been done years ago in this white supremacist hellscape – investing in the Black Community!
I can’t tell if this is the satire version of you or the real you.
Black Brilliance Project already got 3 million and now they want 14 million more in order to figure out how to spend the remaining 16 million in the participatory budget process. I think they are laughing all the way to the bank.
What satire version are you talking about? I have no clue what you’re referring to.
If you have a problem with the paltry amount of money given to the most passionate subsect of our Black community, take it up with our elected officials. As for me, I believe it is money well spent and I wish it were more. Read though the entire project with an open heart and an open mind and I think you’ll come to the same conclusion.
You could also consider sending some Democracy Vouchers to Nikkita Oliver to help right the wrongs inflicted on BIPOC. They are doing such a great job with their City Council campaign. They’re also just an all-around amazing human!
You’re OK with the city spending 87 cents on overhead benefitting a small number of insiders for every dollar they actually distribute to the community? Thats what I was talking about.
Ghost, I agree with you. Our council is spineless. “Reduce 50%” became “move parking enforcement to a separate budget” and “reward SPD with millions of dollars in overtime for gassing and beating people”. Our council negotiates like true neoliberals, always conceding at the first opportunity. Just endless virtue signaling and no action.
We have enough radical activists on our city council. Nikkita Oliver would be a disaster as an elected official. I don’t think she has much of a chance but this is 2021 Seattle where moderate liberalism is now considered alt-right.
Your open heard and open mind comment reminds me of religious evangelicalism – “if you just read my religious text with an open heart and mind, you will see the truth.” Extreme political ideology is the new religion.
I sure hope your comment is satire. Otherwise, it’s nuts.