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THREAD:
On Monday, Chicago City Council will vote on the budget. A group of us w @defundcpdchi who live in the 5th ward (parts of Woodlawn, Hyde Park & South Shore) met w our rep Ald Leslie Hairston on Wed eve, as others have been in their wards. Here’s a report back. #DefundCPD
On Monday, Chicago City Council will vote on the budget. A group of us w @defundcpdchi who live in the 5th ward (parts of Woodlawn, Hyde Park & South Shore) met w our rep Ald Leslie Hairston on Wed eve, as others have been in their wards. Here’s a report back. #DefundCPD
We grounded in an analysis of Mayor Lightfoot's anti-Black, anti-poor, pro-cop budget proposal that would allocate a LARGER % to CPD. Failure to tax the rich + corporations means poor + working ppl are funding a bloated cop budget & inadequate social services.
#DefundCPD
#DefundCPD
Our primary asks of Hairston (+ entire city council) are 1. support #TreatmentNotTrauma budget amendment w proper funding, 2. sign onto #CloseHomanSquare ordinance, & of course 3. vote NO on a city budget that fails to meaningfully #DefundCPD bc police do not keep us safe!
Hairston has called out the giant “untouchable” police budget & voted in support of #CopsOutCPS + against the cop academy. We brought these things up to leverage her support for #TreatmentNotTrauma, #CloseHomanSquare & #DefundCPD https://www.hpherald.com/news/politics/hairston-open-to-cutting-police-budget-supports-removing-officers-from-public-schools/article_438b933c-a764-11ea-9ede-d7c5d5bd1d1f.html
In response, Hairston committed to signing onto #CloseHomanSquare ordinance to eliminate funding for Homan Square police torture facility where countless Black west siders are disappeared, illegally detained + tortured
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/oct/19/homan-square-chicago-police-disappeared-thousands
#DefundCPD
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/oct/19/homan-square-chicago-police-disappeared-thousands
#DefundCPD
She spoke in support of cutting police budget in theory, but ultimately felt it was not possible, citing the FOP contract as a barrier* & declining to commit to voting no on the budget.
*we agree the FOP is trash & a barrier to defund, but doesnt make it impossible
#DefundCPD
*we agree the FOP is trash & a barrier to defund, but doesnt make it impossible
#DefundCPD
There was some back & forth about Treatment Not Trauma as Hairston advocated for an incremental approach, holding that the tiny amount being proposed was a good start (½ a mil = less than one tenth of a percentage point of the police budget 
)
)
We referenced Albuquerque, a city ⅕ the size of Chicago that committed more than what the city is proposing toward a non police mental health crisis response
Hairston wasn’t fully moved but committed to doing more research about the Albuquerque example.
#DefundCPD
Hairston wasn’t fully moved but committed to doing more research about the Albuquerque example.
#DefundCPD
In summary, Hairston committed to support Close Homan Square, apply some pressure to make changes to FOP contract & consider defund in next year's budget process.
We’ll continue to push her as we demand city council vote NO on a budget that fails to cut police $
#DefundCPD
We’ll continue to push her as we demand city council vote NO on a budget that fails to cut police $
#DefundCPD
Demand city council #DefundCPD!
Call Leslie Hairston’s office 773-324-5555 asking her to vote no on budget as is (5th ward residents)
Submit a comment during budget hearing to [email protected] btwn 8 & 9am on Monday Nov. 23rd (Chicago residents)
Call Leslie Hairston’s office 773-324-5555 asking her to vote no on budget as is (5th ward residents) Submit a comment during budget hearing to [email protected] btwn 8 & 9am on Monday Nov. 23rd (Chicago residents)
