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City Council Votes To Snub Voters: Only Funded Suppression with Measure Z |
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Friday, 23 February 2007 |
SAN BERNARDINO
By Cheryl Brown
The San Bernardino City Council was inundated with citizens
who were irate that the Measure Z sales tax initiative that voters approved in
November for suppression, intervention and prevention of crime was going just
to suppression. They won and they lost the fight. While they were deciding to
spend all of the money on suppression a murder was taking place near one of the
city's high crime areas. Dead was a father of a 6 month old baby.
The City Council voted to take the $114,000 left of the more
than $1.6 million already allocated on suppression efforts and spend it on
vests and tasers. Then to take another $114,000 out of the $18 million Reserve
Fund to fund $75,000 for the Police Activities League and the remaining $39,000
for city run community centers. Nothing was allocated to community based
programs for prevention and suppression activities. "All the monies went
to the police. I am afraid crime is going to escalate with no programs to
balance the suppression, " said Councilman Rikke Van Johnson. "The
measure was explicit to suppression, intervention and prevention," said
Johnson.
The majority of the Council seemed to be confused about the
measure and Councilmember Esther Estrada pulled the pamphlet and the ordinance
to help clarify exactly what the measure said and what the voters voted on.
"It was the voters, not us, that said where it should go. If we don't
follow the rule we are not following our own ordinance or the voters."
Ministers, youth and citizens addressed the council and it
seemed that they were listening. That is until the deliberations.
Speakers who spoke one after the other on the prevention and
intervention aspect of the measure were rebuffed in comments by Councilmembers
Chas Kelley, Neal Derry, and to a lesser degree Wendy McCammack and Tobin
Brinker.
Young people came one after the other from a group called
ICUC local high school students. None of the at-risk group that the measure was
written for spoke at the meeting.
Dr. Elliot of Mt. Zion MBC charged that the council was
reinventing the wheel. He told Black Voice News that his congregation and the
Book of Acts congregation has invested nearly $100,000 to help at-risk youth
and if the City can't spend the millions they have, "We will get our GED's
in Political Science in November." Elliot's sentiment was joined by former
Councilmember Betty Dean Anderson who agreed the City should stop reinventing
the wheel. His concern was also echoed
by Rev. Bronica Martindale who said, "Reflect your vote on what we the
voters voted on!" In the end the Council ignored her and the others.
Bishop Kenneth Wells, pastor at Spirit of Love Christian
Church noted that they -- with no help from the city -- closed down a liquor
store. Wells, who until recently lived in the heart of the city's high crime
area and knows very well the problems they are facing with few activities, no
jobs, no training and nothing to look forward to if they aren't involved in the
church.
Rev. Raymond Turner, pastor of Temple Missionary
Baptist Church,
said that he has buried many of the kids who could have been helped with
prevention and intervention programs. "They (City Council) don't see the
issue. I am disturbed by the amount of money that was being argued about.
Arguing over $114,000 is sad. The voters voted to use it to make a difference
in prevention and intervention also. Most kids I deal with tell you they will
not live long enough to have a retirement. It is important to have programs to refocus that
thinking," he told Black Voice News.
The youth speakers were also passionate about the issue and
some warned councilmembers that they would be able to vote next year. They were
dismayed about the insensitive remarks made by Derry
who said they couldn't vote so they don't count. "Eighteen year olds don't
know anything. When I was 18, I didn't know much," Derry said
later that he wasn't worried about the threats. Blanca Ortega, an Arroyo Valley
High School student said,
"I will turn 18 soon and I can assure you that you will not have my vote."
Derry said he was pleased with the activism
but stood by his comments.
McCammack seemed to side with the audience when she said she
wanted to fund the Westside Steppers, a drill team located in the high impact
area. She said that she wanted to give them $20,000 but the money wasn't there
to do all that needed to be done. However she continues to ask the question,
"where are the parents?" Community workers, psychologists have
answered that question. Some believe the problems that plague the city have
come from a loss of parental control, high numbers of incarcerated parents, no
jobs in the city and surrounding areas, from living on the freeways everyday,
and a city that is unfriendly to children and youth.
Students Natalie Sellers of St. Anthony's School, Tyquisha Golden
of Arroyo Valley, and Gregory Wood of New Hope Missionary Baptist all pleaded
for more community based youth programs.
Walter Jarman, president of the San Bernardino Branch NAACP,
cautioned the council to not sidestep the issue of intervention and prevention.
Suppression is a pipeline of criminals to be returned back into the community
that will keep the recycling doors open. A great number of our youth can be
diverted from this lifestyle with positive programs geared toward employment,
job training, parenting, counseling, mentoring, and supervised recreational
activities. He said the NAACP stands ready to assist the city with positive
input or to file a lawsuit if they think the council is ignoring the wishes of
the voters who supported Measure Z.
Councilman Johnson said, "It is obvious we care about
the police in our city, but do we care about our children? Last night we threw
them a carrot saying go home and don't come back soon. Last night we voted on
every penny of Measure Z funds to go to the police."
Turner continues to ask the question, "When do we deal
with the suppression and intervention of Measure Z?
Brinker said in the next budget cycle, we can spend some on
programs.
Derry's answer is,
"After 40 new officers are hired, there won't be any money left over for
anything other than police."
Unless it is repealed as Estrada suggested, the measure will
be in place for 15 years.
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