Recent events have brought America's historical and present day systemic racism and police brutality to the forefront of local and national conversations and Tempe is not immune to these problems. We need to urge Tempe City Council to defund the police and fund our community services instead. 

Meaningful change and work towards justice need to happen in our own city to prevent the growth of this problem that disproportionately affects Black lives. George Floyd's death has prompted city governments in Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Portland, and Seattle to begin defunding their police force. In order to ensure the protection of our community, we are asking that the Tempe City Council follow their example. 

Police spending in Tempe makes up over 40% of the city's discretionary spending and for every $1 the CARE 7 program receives for crisis intervention, victim assistance, counseling services, social-emotional support for youth, and services for veterans, police receive $98. 

We are calling on our city council to implement the following budget adjustments:

1. Decrease the 2020/21 FY police budget by a minimum of $13.9 million

2. Do not make any cuts to Community Services, Human Services, or Sustainability funding

3. Use the $22.5 million CARES Act/AZ CARES Fund allocation solely in Human Services, NOT towards the police budget

4. Invest in Tempe's communities of color, which face disproportionate police brutality and environmental harms

Sign the petition and write to Tempe City Council today!

Don't forget to email the Council to tell them why you support funding human services over police:

councilcommunicator@tempe.gov
mark_mitchell@tempe.gov
lauren_kuby@tempe.gov
jennifer_adams@tempe.gov
robin_arredondo-savage@tempe.gov
arlene_chin@tempe.gov
randy_keating@tempe.gov
joel_navarro@tempe.gov