The city council & city manager plan to shell out $56 million to purchase the Nationwide building in downtown Des Moines to be converted into a new police station. Already, the operating budget for this fiscal year allocates a gargantuan $78 mil. for the police department. While Des Moines residents are reeling from the financial consequences of living through a pandemic, city government officials continue to turn a blind eye so as to improve their own corporate alliances. 

Since the beginning, this potential acquisition has lacked transparency and opportunities for public input. The city has unilaterally moved forward with the use of 56 million taxpayer dollars for the purchase of the Nationwide office building & parking garage without including the most important decision-makers in this city, the people.

Des Moines residents have poured into the streets, filled the council chambers, and organized community events decrying this city's continued use of a violent, racist policing system. Two years ago, Indira Sheumaker ran and won a city council election in ward 1 advocating for reallocation of police funds into resources that make our communities more prosperous, healthy, and happy. Thousands of Des Moines voters showed up to support a "Defund the Police" platform. 

Sign this petition to tell the Des Moines City Council and City Manager that you don't approve of $56 mil. taxpayer funds being used for the purchase & development of a new police station.

We demand that the city government organize town hall events to hear from their constituents on the issue of the Nationwide building purchase and how they would like the city council to proceed. Delay any further decisions until legitimate measures have been taken to assess public approval. Mayor Cownie and City Manager Sanders are using taxpayer dollars with reckless abandon. Add your name to this list of residents who oppose the Nationwide-DMPD project!