Happy weekend to you, friends,
Across our coalition spaces, we have been waiting for LA County’s $39 billion budget to be finalized and we now have a first look at the changes – it’s not good! This supplemental budget, which is the finalized budget, incorporates any updates and changes to the version that was approved by the Board of Supervisors in June. Our first peek shows massive increases awarded to the LA Sheriff despite our ongoing advocacy for investing those millions in the Office of Diversion and Reentry and Youth Development, through Reimagine LA and our partners.
Additionally, we have been advocating for YEARS for closure of carceral facilities like Men’s Central Jail, and other LA County jails and prisons, only to be met with a motion proposing the idea of building a NEW mental health jail, presented by Supervisor Barger (District 5) last week.
We would love to focus solely on our efforts to decentralize community support services that keep us healthy and safe, removing them from the control of law enforcement agencies – for every step forward we take, we have to fight to hold the line against the people in power who want to maintain the status quo. Even though voters told the elected leaders of LA we want community investment – those powers would hand over the fate of our people to the increasingly out-of-control, militarized, retaliatory police who continue to harm our communities and murder our loved ones.
It is absolutely crucial for us to raise our voices heard before the Board of Supervisors, and make it clear we are NOT here to see our tax dollars fund the LA Sheriff Department. Please read more to learn how you can plug in to this coming Tuesday’s action at the BOS meeting (both virtual and in-person), and a link to sign RELA’s letter to the Board rejecting Supervisor Barger’s motion.
We hope you can join us for these important actions.
In solidarity,
The LD Team
🫶🏼
