ONE BIG THING: BREAKING DOWN THE IRRESPONSIBLE $1 BILLION LAPD CONTRACT
What Happened?
This week, City Council voted on an LAPD contract that will cost us an additional $1 billion over 4 years.
By the end of this contract, the starting salary for a police officer will be over $94,000.
Ask yourself, if $94,000 was the starting salary for a mental health or homeless outreach worker in LA, how different would our city look?
Why it Matters
If you ask policy experts, advocates, or even the police, they would all tell you that armed officers shouldn't be responding to nonviolent, homelessness or mental health calls, which make up 92% of the calls received by the LAPD. But instead of investing in real solutions to these very real issues, we're doubling down on the status quo.
There are 22 City Departments with higher vacancy rates than the LAPD including critical departments in charge of youth development, jobs, parks, trash, street/sidewalk repairs, and so much more. These departments have the potential to uplift individuals, families, and entire communities. We’re continuing to funnel money into a flawed system while taking away resources that could benefit the working class communities in this city who need them the most.
The next time the city faces a recession or a financial crisis, we’ll look back at this vote as the reason why we can’t fund desperately needed programs like transit improvements, green infrastructure, and affordable housing.
What Can I Do?
Organize.
Even though this contract passed by a vote of 12-3, the last LAPD contract passed unanimously, showing that the city is starting to wake up to our misguided approach to public safety, and that we are finally inching toward accountability and progress. But we need more help inside and outside City Hall.
Over the coming months, City Council will consider progressive policy proposals related to unarmed response, affordable housing, the minimum wage, renter protections, transit, and wage theft enforcement. If the community can get involved and push these initiatives over the finish line, we can still make the transformational change that our communities deserve.
But you can’t do it alone. Take this moment to join a local organization that does the work year-round. The more people we have organizing on key issues, the more change we will achieve.
WATCH OUR FULL SPEECH IN CITY COUNCIL ON THE CONTRACT VOTE
Three More Quick Hits!
1. The Aftermath of Hurricane Hilary
The historic Tropical Storm (and not to be upstaged, earthquake) that hit LA last weekend came and went, and we were thankfully spared from major damage, with no significant injuries or deaths reported as a result of the storm.
Our homelessness team worked closely with LAHSA and neighborhood groups like SELAH Neighborhood Homeless Coalition to do outreach at the river and in storm drains to get folks out of harm’s way and into emergency shelters.
Although there’s still a lot of room for improvement when it comes to how the city and county communicate shelter availability to our unhoused neighbors, we’re proud of our homelessness team’s tireless work over the weekend to get people the help they needed.
If you see any lingering damage or impacts from the storm, be sure to report it on the 311 app or at myla311.lacity.org.
2. Staff Farewell
Last week, we were sad to say goodbye to our Deputy Director of Community Advocacy, Jesse Alson-Milkman.
Jesse has been by my side since the beginning of my run for office, and it’s hard to overstate his impact on our campaign and in our office, specifically leading our successful effort to take down the fence at Echo Park Lake so the park could be safe, clean, and accessible to everyone.
From his constant litany of Simpsons quotes to his signature thoughtfulness, we’ll miss Jesse dearly and wish him the best of luck on his next chapter!
3. New Staff – Welcome Collin Baker, Our New Lead Organizer!
Even as we say goodbye to Jesse, we are thrilled to welcome a new member of our team – Collin Baker, our new Lead Organizer!
A proud CD13 resident living in Atwater, Collin is the son of public school educators who taught him the importance of asking good questions, which has been a guiding lesson throughout his life and career. He’s helped lead local electoral campaigns in LA since 2020, including co-chairing DSA-LA’s Hugo For CD13 working group.
As Lead Organizer in our office, Collin is passionate about tenants rights, transit accessibility, and mobilizing the working class in marginalized communities to become active participants in the political process.