Sep 16, 2020 Public Comment

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OH 1:00 PM UH, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND, UH, OPEN OUR, UH, REGULARLY SCHEDULED CITIZENS BE HEARD PUBLIC SESSION.

UH, WE DO HAVE, UH, MANY

[1. 20-5399 Public Comment is your opportunity to address your City of San Antonio elected officials directly about issues that are important to you and your community. To sign-up to speak, please go to www.sanantonio.gov/agenda and click on the eComment link for instructions. Members of the public are given up to three minutes to speak, and groups are given up to nine minutes.]

UM, AND THAT INFORMATION TO RECONNECT TO, UH, THE WEBEX, UH, TO MAKE THEIR COMMENTS HEARD HAS BEEN PROVIDED SO, UH, FOLKS ARE CONNECTED OR IN THE PROCESS DOING SO.

SO I WILL CALL THE FIRST NAME IN ORDER.

I'LL CALL THE NEXT NAME TO BE PREPARED TO SPEAK, UH, AND THEN, UH, SO ON AND SO FORTH.

SO, WE'LL START WITH AMANDA THOMAS, FOLLOWED BY LEXI GARCIA, ESTE BROWN.

HELLO.

YOU, UH, YOU HAVE THE FORM, MS. TOMS? YES.

I'M GIVING MY TIME TO CELESTE BROWN.

OKAY.

I'LL CALL, UH, I'LL CALL CELESTE, UH, WHEN HER NAME IS UP.

UM, LET ME GO NOW TO, OKAY.

THANK YOU.

LEXI GARCIA, FOLLOWED BY BRANDON MOLES.

HI, UH, COUNSEL.

MY NAME IS LEXI GARCIA.

I AM A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT NINE, AND I'M CALLING IN TO URGE, UH, EVERYONE ON COUNCIL TO, UH, TO DEFUND THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT AND TO FUND, UM, THINGS THAT ACTUALLY MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES STRONGER AND SAFER.

THINGS THAT ARE NOT INSTITUTED, CARCERAL VIOLENCE, UM, FUNDED, UH, BY THE CITY AND THE TAXPAYERS OF THE CITY.

AND, UM, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT RIGHT NOW, NEIGHBORS OF MINE ARE BEING UNJUSTLY EVICTED.

SO MANY ARE LEFT OUT, UM, OF ANY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.

UM, OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT CONTINUES TO PROVE THAT THEY'RE A MURDEROUS VIOLENT FORCE, UM, THAT PATROL OUR STREETS AND, AND, UM, UH, THE UNINSURED AND UNDERPAID CONTINUE TO BE EXPLOITED AND FORGOTTEN IN THE MIDST OF C OVID 19.

UM, AND ALL OF THOSE INEQUALITIES AND ALL OF THAT EXPLOITATION IS JUST AMPLIFIED BY THE PANDEMIC.

AND WE HAVE BEEN SAYING THE SAME THING FOR MONTHS THAT WE WANT TO SEE.

AND A TRUE INVESTMENT IN COMMUNITY SOURCES AND RE OR COMMUNITY RESOURCES LIKE PUBLIC HEALTH, PUBLIC EDUCATION, AND, UM, YOUTH SERVICES, SENIOR SERVICES, ALL THINGS THAT YOU'VE LISTED AND TRIED TO TELL ON TWITTER THAT YOU HAVE, UM, FUNDED.

BUT IN REALITY, THEY ARE STILL FUNDED LESS THAN SAN, THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT.

THERE'S $28 MILLION THAT CAN IMMEDIATELY BE REAPPROPRIATED AND TOMORROW BEFORE AHEAD OF THE VOTE TOMORROW.

AND I URGE EVERY SINGLE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER TO, UM, TO DO THIS TOMORROW.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

MS. GARCIA.

BRANDON MOLES, FOLLOWED BY LORENZO ORTIZ.

ALL YES.

THANK YOU.

UH, MAYOR RON, YOU CAME OUT AND YOU SAID THAT YOU HEARD US AND YOU WERE THERE TO STAND WITH US, UH, THERE AT THE COURTHOUSE.

UH, YOU ASKED FOR US TO HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE AS WELL AS ALL POLITICIANS.

UH, THE TIME HAS COME, UH, ONE OF THE BIGGEST HEALTH HAZARDS TO OUR MINORITY COMMUNITY ARE THE POLICE.

UH, YOU HAVE STATED THAT, UH, RACISM IS A, UH, HAZARD HERE IN SAN ANTONIO AND SET OUT AN ORDINANCE, OR BECAUSE OF THAT, IF THE POLICE ARE THE NUMBER ONE PROBLEM, AND YOU RECOGNIZE THAT, WHY ARE WE NOT DOING SOMETHING LIKE WHAT AUSTIN OR OTHER CITIES ARE DOING? AND THAT'S DEFUNDING THE POLICE.

AUSTIN DID IT BY 150 MILLION.

I THINK WE SHOULD DO IT BY 200 MILLION TO START.

THAT STILL ALLOWS FOR THE SALARIES TO BE PAID TO EXISTING POLICE, BUT IT REMOVES ALL EXCESS MONEY THAT CAN BE, BE THEN USED TOWARDS NUMEROUS PROGRAMS SUCH AS MENTAL HEALTH, SENIOR AND YOUTH SERVICES, HEALTHCARE, HOUSING.

WE'RE NOT TRYING TO GET RID OF POLICE.

WE'RE NOT SAYING WE WANT TO HAVE A LAWLESS COMMUNITY.

WE'RE SAYING THAT THE EXISTING SYSTEM IS BROKEN AND IT'S SO SYSTEMIC THAT IT CAN'T BE FIXED.

WE WOULD LOVE TO ABOLISH THE POLICE, BUT IT TAKES STEPS TO GET THERE BECAUSE IT'S TOO EXTREME TO UNDERSTAND.

SO WE START OFF BY DEFUNDING, TAKE AWAY 200 MILLION.

NEXT STEP, TAKE ANOTHER WAY, ANOTHER 200 MILLION.

WE THEN ABOLISH THE POLICE AND COME UP WITH A NEW SAFETY PROGRAM DESIGNED TO BENEFIT THE WELLNESS, THE HEALTH, AND THE SAFETY OF THE COMMUNITY.

UNLIKE THE SYSTEMIC PROBLEM WE HAVE NOW, JUST IN THE PAST 30 DAYS, THE POLICE HAVE KILLED

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IT IS ALARMING WITH EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IN THE PAST 90 DAYS ON THE STREETS, TALKING WITH YOU PERSONALLY, MAYOR RON, ALONG WITH CITY COUNCIL, ALONG WITH THE CHIEF OF SS A P D AND THE CHIEF OF BEXAR COUNTY, UH, SHERIFFS.

AND Y'ALL JUST SOMEHOW REFUSE TO LISTEN.

80% OF THE COMMENTS ARE FOR DEFUNDING THE POLICE ON TODAY'S 350 SOMETHING COMMENTS.

80% ARE FOR DEFUNDING.

YOU HAVE THE BIGGEST SA SPEAK UP, 22,000 PEOPLE.

THE POLICE AREN'T EVEN IN THE TOP THREE.

BUT FOR Y'ALL, THEY'RE NOT JUST THE NUMBER ONE THING FUNDED.

THEY'RE NUMBER ONE THING FUNDED BY A MILE.

THE TOP THREE THINGS WE HAVE TO BE FUNDED.

THE POLICE OUT, FUND THEM BY MORE THAN 10 TIMES THEIR FUNDING.

WHY DO Y'ALL NOT LISTEN TO US? WHY DO YOU, WHY DO YOU ASK FOR US TO SPEAK UP? WHY DO YOU ASK FOR US TO COMMENT? WHY DO YOU GIVE US TIMES AND MEETINGS? WHY DO YOU ASK TO HEAR OUR VOICE AND THEN JUST COMPLETELY TURN US DOWN? WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT SMALL NUMBERS.

80% OF THE COMMENT TODAY, AND THAT JUST FOLLOWS.

BUT LAST TIME IT WAS ALMOST 800 SOMETHING COMMENTS 80.

YOU KNOW, MAYBE NOT 80%, BUT 60% OF THOSE.

NOBODY WANTS MORE FUNDING THE POLICE.

YOU'RE DEFUNDING THE ENTIRE CITY AT THE WORST POSSIBLE TIME.

SMALL BUSINESSES ARE BEING KILLED RIGHT NOW.

$200 MILLION STARTED OFF.

TAKE IT AWAY FROM THE POLICE.

INVEST IN THE CITY.

LET'S GET THE CITY BACK UP AND RUNNING.

REST IN PEACE TO THE FAMILIES THAT THE POLICE HAVE MURDERED.

THANK YOU, MR. MOLES.

LORENZO ORTIZ, FOLLOWED BY DEANNA ORGA.

THANK YOU FOR, FOR GIVING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO, TO TALK TO Y'ALL.

UM, I'M CALLING ABOUT DISTRICT TWO.

GOVERNMENT HILL.

UM, THE CITY, UH, PUTS, UH, COMMISSIONERS IN PLACE TO DO A JOB.

UM, WE ACTUALLY WENT TO COMMISSIONERS, UH, UH, DEVELOPMENT COMMISSIONER'S, COURT OR COMMISSIONERS, UH, UM, AND THEY DENIED, UH, WHAT'S GOING ON CURRENTLY IN THE, THE AREA.

THEN WE SPENT AN EIGHT HOUR LONG INTENSE CONVERSATION WITH THE ZONING.

AND THE ZONING ALSO STATED THAT, UH, C TWO FOR OUR AREA IS TOO HARSH.

AND WHY PUT ZONING COMMISSIONERS, EACH AND EVERY ONE OF Y'ALL THAT YOU'RE NOT EVEN GONNA LISTEN TO, PLEASE TAKE THEIR CONSIDERATION INTO CONSIDERATION AND DON'T MAKE A MISTAKE IN A COMMUNITY THAT'S BEEN THERE.

GOVERNMENT HILL IS ONE OF THE OLDEST COMMUNITIES IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO LIVE IN PEACEFUL HARMONY JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE.

BUT THE, THE ERUPT THE COMMUNITY FOR ONE INDIVIDUAL, IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.

PLEASE TAKE THE COMMISSIONER'S ADVICE, THE ONES THAT YOU APPOINTED, AND DO WHAT'S RIGHT FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

UH, MR. ORTIZ.

DIANNA REGA.

HELLO, MR. MAYOR.

AND EVERYBODY, UH, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT, UH, THE, THE BUDGET MONEY THAT Y'ALL ARE, UH, TRYING TO GIVE THE POLICE, UH, AND WE WANT IT TO BE DEFUNDED, UH, SO THAT IT COULD GO INTO DIFFERENT AREAS.

I, I WOULD LIKE FOR IT TO GO INTO HOUSING BECAUSE WE HAVE, WE'RE HAVING A LOT OF, UH, HOMELESS PEOPLE, UH, COME ON GETTING EVICTED, EVEN THOUGH Y'ALL GAVE THAT, THE, THE DEAL TO NOT EVICT PEOPLE UNTIL THIS, THE END OF THE YEAR, YOU KNOW, UH, BUT THEY'RE STILL GETTING, UH, EVICTED STILL.

AND ALSO, UH, UH, I ALSO WANTED, IF Y'ALL COULD SPLIT IT UP INTO HOUSING AND, UH, HEALTH AND EDUCATION, LET IT GO INTO ALL THREE.

IT'S OUR MONEY.

IT'S OUR TAXPAYER'S MONEY, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S, WE SHOULD HAVE A SAY TO WHERE IT GOES, YOU KNOW, UH, THE POLICE, I LOVE THE POLICE, DON'T GET ME WRONG, YOU KNOW, BUT, UH, I THINK THEY'RE ALREADY GET ENOUGH MONEY SO THAT, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER PART Y'ALL GIVE THEM IS ENOUGH FOR THEM TO DO WHATEVER THEY NEED

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BUT THEY DON'T NEED NO MORE.

THEY DON'T NEED NO MORE.

THEY, WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF OUR CITIZENS HERE FROM SAN ANTONIO TO, UH, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH THIS PANDEMIC, YOU ARE, ARE SICK AND WHATEVER.

AND I MEAN, WE HAD A PERSON DIE THAT WENT TO THE HOSPITAL AND WAS REFUSED SERVICE, AND HE WOKE UP DEAD THE NEXT MORNING, YOU KNOW, WITH THIS PANDEMIC, THE COVID.

SO I THINK WE SHOULD, UH, UH, DIVIDE IT INTO DIFFERENT AREAS.

EVERYBODY EQUAL IS EQUAL, YOU KNOW, PLEASE, SIR, BE FAIR TO EVERYBODY.

NOT JUST, UH, GIVE ALL THE MONEY TO THE COPS.

YOU KNOW? UH, SOMETIMES WHEN WE CALL THE COPS, THEY DON'T EVEN SHOW UP, YOU KNOW? AND, UH, THEY DON'T SHOW UP TILL, UH, LATER ON UNTIL EVERYTHING'S, UM, MAYBE SOMEBODY'S SHOT OR KILLED, YOU KNOW? UH, THEY, THEY DO NEED MORE, UH, TIME TO WHEN THEY GET A NINE ONE ONE CALL TO SHOW UP, OR, YOU KNOW, AS FAST AS THEY CAN, BUT THEY DON'T, YOU KNOW? SO, SIR, PLEASE, UH, DEFUND THE MONEY TO THESE AREAS.

THANK YOU, MISSOURI.

I GUESS.

CELESTE BROWN, FOLLOWED BY ALICIA CASTILLO.

UH, CELESTE, YOU HAVE SIX MINUTES.

THANK YOU.

UM, CELESTE BROWN.

I LIVE IN DISTRICT TWO, AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I'M NOT HERE TO TALK DIRECTLY ABOUT THE BUDGET TODAY.

UM, JUST LAST WEEK DURING CITIZENS TO BE HEARD, I TOLD Y'ALL THAT FAILURE TO LISTEN TO YOUR RESIDENCE AND CONSTITUENTS MEANS MY BROTHER COULD BE NEXT, MY FATHER COULD BE NEXT.

THE ORGANIZERS WE WALK BESIDE COULD BE NEXT, OR I COULD BE NEXT.

BUT YESTERDAY, MY WORDS BECAME TRUE.

WHEN SS A P D SHOT AND KILLED DARRYL DEMAL JR.

A SECOND FATHER TO ME, MY FAMILY, HE DID NOT HAVE TO DIE.

POLICE ARE NOT MEANT TO BE THE JUDGE AND JURY.

IF YOU ARE THERE TO SERVE A WARRANT, THEN YOU SERVE THAT WARRANT AND THAT PERSON GETS TO GO TO JAIL.

BUT YESTERDAY, THREE PLAIN CLOTHES OFFICERS AND TWO UNIFORMS OFFICERS SHOT DARRYL IN THE BACK AND LEFT HIM THERE BLEEDING FOR 10 MINUTES WHILE HIS NEIGHBOR, A REGISTERED NURSE, BEGGED TO RENDER AID BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT.

IT TOOK 10 MINUTES BEFORE ANY OF THEM RENDERED AID, AND SHE WAS BEGGING, AND THEY TOLD HER TO MINE HER BUSINESS.

AND IT IS LIKELY THAT ALL OF YOU ON COUNCIL KNEW HE WAS DEAD BEFORE OUR FAMILY DID.

AS SS A P D POSTED ABOUT IT ON THEIR FACEBOOK, 52 MINUTES BEFORE WE WERE INFORMED THAT HE WAS PRONOUNCED 52 MINUTES BEFORE WE KNEW THE MEDIA WAS ABLE TO PAINT THEIR OWN NARRATIVE ABOUT MY SECOND DAD, ONE OF THE KINDEST SOUL I KNEW THE MEDIA HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT, HOW THEY'VE GONE TO TALK TO ALL OF HIS NEIGHBORS, DOZENS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE SAYING THE SAME THING, 52 MINUTES.

I URGE YOU TO PLACE YOURSELF IN OUR SHOES AND WONDER WHAT YOU WOULD DO IF THE WAY THAT YOU FOUND OUT YOUR LOVED ONE WAS MURDERED WAS VIA A THREE MINUTE AND 21 SECOND FACEBOOK PRESS CONFERENCE, WHERE THE CHIEF OF POLICE SAYS HE'S DEAD.

TONIGHT AT SEVEN 30, WE WILL HAVE A VIGIL.

AND I URGE COUNSEL, SINCE Y'ALL CARE SO MUCH ABOUT BLACK LIVES SINCE Y'ALL PUT YOUR FISTS UP IN THE, ON THE DAAS ON JUNE 27TH, PULL UP, SHOW UP, HEAR DIRECTLY FROM US, FROM THOSE WHO LOVED HIM AS TO WHAT TYPE OF MAN HE WAS ACTUALLY HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY.

SINCE YOU CAN NEVER SEEM TO DO THAT, MCMANUS CLAIMS THAT A STRUGGLE TOOK PLACE BEFORE HE WAS SHOT.

SO I POED THIS QUESTION.

IF THERE WAS A FIGHT, WHY WOULD THE OTHER FOUR OFFICERS JUST WAIT FOR A MOMENT TO SHOOT INSTEAD OF ASSIST THE OFFICER THAT THEY CLAIM WAS ON THE GROUND? I THOUGHT POLICE WERE TRAINED ON SITUATIONAL AWARENESS.

$487 MILLION GOES TO POLICE AND THEY CAN'T EVEN DEESCALATE SITUATIONS.

WHERE'S THE RETURN ON THAT OVER INVESTMENT RIGHT NOW, I SHOULD BE WITH MY FAMILY GRIEVING, BUT INSTEAD HERE I HAVE TO COME AGAIN TO YOU ALL TO LET Y'ALL KNOW THAT THIS TIME IT LITERALLY HIT HOME.

IT LITERALLY HIT HOME.

THIS IS WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO.

THIS IS WHY WE

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THIS IS WHY WE TAKE TO THE STREETS, WE DIDN'T HAVE TO DIE, BUT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, BY WAY OF SS A P D, LET HIM.

SO I URGE ALL OF YOU TO TAKE A HARD LOOK AT YOURSELF AND ASK IF THIS IS THE COMPASSIONATE SAN ANTONIO THAT YOU SAY IT IS.

I URGE ALL OF YOU TO TAKE A HARD LOOK AT YOURSELF, TO ASK YOURSELF IF BLACK LIVES REALLY DO MATTER.

BECAUSE IF THEY DO, THAT MEANS ALL BLACK LIVES.

DEFUND THE POLICE THAT KILLED DARRYL JAMAL SENIOR AND WASH THE BLOOD OFF OF YOUR HAND.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MS. BROWN.

ALICIA CASTILLO, FOLLOWED BY IAN DI NO, ALICIA CASTILLO.

OKAY.

I DON'T THINK, UH, SHE'S RECONNECTED.

IAN DILL, SAME WITH IAN.

ALRIGHT, MAUREEN KKI.

NO SIR, HONOR, MAUREEN KHAKI.

GIANNIS FLORES.

GIANNIS FLORES, NATALIE LERNER.

YES, SIR.

ON THIS IS NA.

OH, HELLO, UH, MS. LERNER.

NATALIE, IS THAT YOU? OKAY, MS. LERNER, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.

UH, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY DESIREE SANDING.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

MY NAME IS NATALIE, DISTRICT ONE, UM, AND I'M CALLING TODAY FIRST TO URGE YOU TO REALLOCATE FUNDING FROM THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE BUDGET TO OTHER ESSENTIAL SERVICES IN THE CITY, LIKE EDUCATION, HOUSING, PUBLIC HEALTH.

UM, I'VE BEEN READING A LOT OF THE COMMENTS ON THE, THE WEBSITE, AND I'VE BEEN SEEING A LOT OF PEOPLE SAYING, DEFUNDING IS THIS RADICAL IDEA, BUT IT REALLY DOESN'T SEEM THAT RADICAL.

THE CITY COUNCIL COULD DEFUND OUR EDUCATION TO DEFUND OUR PUBLIC HEALTH, TO DEFUND LITERALLY EVERY OTHER THING IN THE CITY.

BUT CITY COUNCIL SERIOUSLY CONSIDER DOING THE SAME THING TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, THAT THEY'RE DOING TO EVERY OTHER SERVICE FOR SAN ANTONIO IS.

UM, AND I WOULD ADD OBVIOUSLY THAT CLEARLY SAN ANTONIO HAS SPOKEN UP.

WE'VE GOT A DESIRE FOR LESS POLICE FUNDING AND, AND AS SOMEBODY WHO'S MENTIONED BEFORE ME, IT IS OUR TAXPAYER MONEY.

UH, I ALSO WANT TO SAY THE NAME OF DARYL DEMAL SENIOR, UM, AND SAY THAT IT'S REALLY COMPLETELY ATROCIOUS THAT SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS BAYER COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, UM, CONTINUES TO MURDER BLACK PEOPLE IN THE CITY WITH IMPUNITY.

UM, A WARRANT SHOULD NOT BE A DEATH SENTENCE.

UH, POLICE ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO KILL PEOPLE WHEN THEY GO DELIVER A WARRANT OR ON A MENTAL HEALTH CALL.

UH, AND IT'S REALLY HORRENDOUS, UH, TO HEAR HOW THE CITY IS RESPONDING TO THESE INCIDENTS AND, UM, FAILING TO SUPPORT FAMILIES AND CONTINUING TO FUND THESE REALLY MURDEROUS POLICE DEPARTMENTS.

SO I WOULD URGE YOU TO SERIOUSLY CONSIDER DEFUNDING SAN ANTONIO POLICE.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MS. LERER.

DESIREE SANDING, FOLLOWED BY STEVEN .

HELLO, COUNSEL.

I AM IN DISTRICT TWO AND A VERY LOW PAID ADJUNCT COLLEGE PROFESSOR FOR ALAMO COLLEGES.

I'M HERE TO SPEAK AGAINST THE INADEQUATE FUNDING FOR THE PEOPLE OF SAN ANTONIO.

TOO MUCH OF OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS GOES TOWARD POLICING THE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO VERSUS EDUCATING HOUSING AND HEALING THEM.

I AM HERE TO SAY THAT EVEN THOUGH 82% OF THE S A T S A P D BUDGET IS NON-NEGOTIABLE, AS PER THE MAYOR'S TWEET TODAY, THE 18% THAT IS NOT BOUND BY THE C B A IS QUOTE, NOT AS EASY AS IT MAY SEEM TO REALLOCATE OR EVEN TAKEN AX TO THIS PORTION OF THE BUDGET.

I AM HERE TO SAY THAT JUST BECAUSE IT IS DIFFICULT DOESN'T MEAN IT IS NOT THE RIGHT THING TO DO, JUST BECAUSE THE LAWS ALLOW LAW ENFORCEMENT TO KILL WHILE ON DUTY, SAY HIS NAME, DAMIEN DANIELS AND DARRELL ZAMAL SR.

THE LAWS ALLOW POLICE TO NOT RENDER AID AFTER SHOOTING BLACK MEN IN THE BACK.

THE LAWS TELL US THAT THINGS HAVE TO BE DONE THROUGH CERTAIN PROCEDURES.

THE LAWS PROTECT BAD POLICE.

THE LAWS SAY

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I COULD GO ON.

JUST BECAUSE IT IS LAW DOES NOT MEAN THAT IT IS RIGHT, DOES NOT MEAN THAT IT IS MORAL, DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE SHOULD NOT FIGHT LIKE HELL TO CHANGE THESE LAWS.

WE ARE FIGHTING AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT TO MAKE THESE CHANGES TO OUR CITY THAT WE LOVE.

MENTAL HEALTH, WELLNESS CHECKS AND DOMESTIC PARTNER ABUSE CALLS NEED TO GO TO EDUCATED SOCIAL WORKERS INSTEAD OF ARMED POLICE.

I ASK THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO SAY ARE ON SIDE OF JUSTICE TO BEGIN ADVOCATING TO REPEAL THE CHAPTERS 1 43 AND 1 74 OF THE POLICE UNION CONTRACT, SO THAT THESE IMPORTANT AND NECESSARY CHANGES TO POLICE CONDUCT AND ACCOUNTABILITY CAN BE ADDRESSED FOR THE GOOD OF THE PEOPLE.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MS. SANDING.

STEVEN EY, FOLLOWED BY ETTE COLE.

HELLO, MY NAME IS STEVE VERTI, 1 0 5 RENO.

UM, I'LL, I'LL TALK FIRST AND THEN ASK FOR THE VIDEO I SUBMITTED.

I'M TALKING TODAY ON THE MARTINEZ PROPERTY, UH, REZONING AT ONE 12 RENO IN GOVERNMENT HILL.

WELL, THIS IS ALL A SAD SHAME.

WE SHOULD BE HAVING CONSTRUCTIVE DEBATE AND MUSCULAR CONVERSATIONS ABOUT GROWTH AND BUILDING EQUITY IN OUR DISTRICTS AND CITY, NOT ARGUING AND BICKERING OVER REZONING.

THAT'S FOR ONLY ONE PURPOSE, CLEARLY STATED BY THE APPLICANTS THAT REASON PROFITABILITY FOR THE CURRENT OWNERS, THEIR REPRESENTATIVE, MR. BATTERS, HAS MADE IT CLEAR THAT HIS CHANGE IS FOR SOME FUTURE AND YET TO BE DETERMINED IN DEVELOPMENT, SALE, OR LEASE, WHATEVER IS MOST PROFITABLE.

WHAT DOES THE U D C SAY ABOUT DEVELOPMENT IN SECTION 35? SECTION 35 POINT DASH 3 0 1 PURPOSE ENSURE THAT NEW DEVELOPMENT IS COMPATIBLE WITH SURROUNDING DEVELOPMENT AND USE CHARACTER AND SIZE AND PROMOTE INFILL HOUSING AND DOWNTOWN RETAIL AND RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT AND ENCOURAGE RETAIL DEVELOPMENT DOWNTOWN.

WELL, WE ARE NOT DOWNTOWN, AND THIS NOT IS NOT PROPOSED RESIDENTIAL.

SO THAT LEAVES, THE ONLY PURPOSE OF REZONING REGARDING THIS DEVELOPMENT HERE IS THAT IT'S TO BE COMPATIBLE.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE DEVELOPMENT IS.

SO THAT IS AN IMPOSSIBLE CALL OF THE PERMITTED C TWO USES.

MANY ARE NOT COMPATIBLE.

470 FEET AWAY FROM THE I 35 AND WALTERS CORNER, AND MOST DEFINITELY C TWO USES FACING SINGLE FAMILY HOMES ON TWO SIDES IS NOT APPROPRIATE.

THIS IS NOT AN N NIMBY SITUATION.

THIS IS OUR FRONT YARD THOUGHT WE HAD COMPROMISE ON C ONE.

WE DO NOT WANT C ONE.

WE WANT RESIDENTIAL ON OUR RESIDENTIAL STREETS, AND WE WANT THEM TO SPLIT THE ZONING ON THIS PROPERTY, BUT WE COMPROMISE ON C ONE.

AND HERE IS WHY.

PLEASE PLAY THE VIDEO I SUBMITTED OFF OF THE BASE AND START PUTTING BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY.

YES, THOSE ARE JUST SOME THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN AT THAT PARTICULAR POINT.

HAVE YOU EXPRESSED THIS TO THE APPLICANT? I HAVE EXPRESSED THIS TO THE APPLICANT.

I'VE EXPRESSED IT TO ROSE HILL.

I'VE EXPRESSED IT TO THE ZONING COMMISSIONER.

UM, AND SO SHE'S, SHE IS NEW TO ZONING, RIGHT? BUT, UM, AT THE TIME, EVERYTHING, SHE WAS LIKE, OKAY, I THOUGHT THIS WAS THE GAS STATION THING ALL OVER AGAIN.

AND I WAS LIKE, NO, WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE THAT.

UM, AND IF WE LEAVE IT OPEN TO THAT C TWO, WE NEED OURSELVES OPEN TO ANY REAL OUTSIDE DEVELOPMENT, EVEN OTHER THAN A GAS STATION THAT'S NOT GONNA REALLY BE BENEFICIAL TO THE COMMUNITY.

SO THAT'S MY CONCERN.

UM, C ONE WITH, WITH STIPULATIONS IS, IS WHAT I'LL BE RECOMMENDING.

OKAY.

THANK YOU MR. VERTI.

UH, DIT COLE.

GOOD EVENING MAYOR.

GOOD EVENING COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS DIT COLE.

I LIVE IN DISTRICT TWO HERE IN DISTRICT TWO.

WE LIVE IN THE EAST END OF GOVERNMENT HILL, THE UNFANCY OLD SCHOOL MODEST HOMES PART OF GOVERNMENT HILL THAT'S HOME TO PERCHING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

WE LIVE IN SMALL HOUSES ON SMALL STREETS FOR MOST OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS.

I BET THE WORKINGS OF CITY ZONING ARE A MYSTERY.

THEY WERE TO MY FELLOW GOVERNMENT HILL NEIGHBORS AND ME UNTIL WE RECEIVED NOTICES THAT THE OWNER OF THE HOUSES ACROSS THE STREET FROM OURS HAD APPLIED FOR REZONING FROM R SIX RESIDENTIAL TO C TWO COMMERCIAL.

THIS IS JUST 24 FEET ACROSS THE STREET FROM OUR HOMES.

THAT'S WHEN WE BECAME THE 200 FOOT NEIGHBORS BY LAW.

PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN 200 FEET OF PROPERTY APPLYING FOR A ZONING CHANGE MUST BE NOTIFIED AND GET TO HAVE A VOTE IN OPPOSITION OR SUPPORT OF THE REZONING FOR THE ONE 13

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THAT WILL BE BEFORE COUNCIL TOMORROW.

THEY NEED THE CITY TO CHANGE THE ZONING SO THEY CAN SELL THEIR PROPERTY FOR THE LIST OF $1.85 MILLION.

THE TAX APPRAISAL ON THIS PROPERTY IS 600,000.

THEY NEED THE CITY TO CHANGE THE ZONING SO THEY CAN TEAR DOWN THE NINE AFFORDABLE RENT HOMES THAT FACE OUR HOMES AND FOREVER COMMERCIALLY CORRUPT OUR RESIDENTIAL STREETS.

THEY NEED THE CITY TO CHANGE THE ZONING SO NO HOMES CAN EVER BE BUILT AGAIN ON THIS TWO ACRE BLOCK THAT SITS IN THE MIDDLE OF AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ZONE.

THEY NEED THE CITY TO CHANGE THE ZONING SO THEY CAN SELL THEIR PROPERTY FOR THE MOST MONEY WITHOUT REGARD TO HOW IN DOING SO WILL BEGIN.

THE ERA OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PROPERTY ZONING CHANGES GO BEFORE THE ZONING AND PLANNING COMMISSION HEARINGS.

AND THESE, THE APPLICANT'S CASE WAS DIVERSION AFTER DIVERSION.

HERE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE ZONING COMMISSIONER QUOTES DURING THE HEARINGS ON THIS CASE.

I THINK WE'RE BEING PLAYED HERE.

THIS IS A PIG AND A POKE.

THIS ZONING WOULD BE LIKE HANDING THEM A LOADED GUN AND TWICE ZONING AND PLANNING COMMISSIONS CALL DENIED ALL C TWO REZONING OF THIS PROPERTY.

THE APPLICANT'S TEAM HAVE PORTRAYED OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AS RUNDOWN, DERELICT, UNSAFE WITH DRUG DEALING IN NEED OF BEING MADE BETTER BY ELIMINATION, ELIMINATING HOMES, ELIMINATING NEIGHBORS, ELIMINATING RESIDENTIAL STREETS.

CHANGING OUR ZONING FROM R SIX TO C TWO LEAVES US OPEN TO LIVE 24 FEET BEHIND ANYTHING IN THE REALM OF A C TWO, WHICH COULD BE A MEGA GAS STATION, IT COULD BE A LIQUOR STORE, IT COULD BE A COMBO GUN SHOP, TATTOO PARLOR, E TWO COUNCILWOMAN ANDREW SULLIVAN.

WHO WILL YOU REPRESENT WHEN THE ONE 13 PROPERTY COMES UP FOR ZONING CHANGE? TOMORROW AFTERNOON? YOUR ELECTORATE, YOUR ELECTORATE OF 200 FOOT NEIGHBORS, DISTRICT TWO NEIGHBORS WHO ARE IN OVERWHELMING OPPOSITION TO THIS D TWO REZONING, OR WILL YOU SUPPORT THE FEW NON-DISTRICT TWO MONEYMAKERS DON'T KILL GOVERNMENT HEALTH.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU MS. COLE.

UH, TIFFANY O'NEILL.

TIFFANY O'NEILL.

OKAY.

UM, GERALD BILLS FOLLOWED BY KAREN MUNOZ.

GERALD BILLS.

OKAY.

UM, THE IRONY OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS THAT THERE SEEMS TO BE A TACIT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT COMMUNITIES FACING ECONOMIC HARDSHIP TEND TO EXPERIENCE MORE CRIME, BUT RATHER THAN USE YOUR RESOURCES TO DEAL WITH THE ECONOMIC HARDSHIP, THE PROPOSED BUDGET WOULD BEEF UP POLICING IN THE HOPES OF PLACING A BANDAID ON THE EXPECTED RISE IN CRIME.

LET'S THINK ABOUT THAT LOGIC AND WHERE IT LEADS BY FURTHER INFLATING AND ALREADY BLOATED POLICE BUDGET, YOU INCREASE MILITARIZED POLICE PRESENCE IN VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES.

MONEY THAT COULD HAVE GONE TO IMPROVING THE ECONOMIC SITUATION OF THOSE WHO LIVE IN THOSE COMMUNITIES HAS INSTEAD GONE TOWARD A POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT CANNOT DO ANYTHING TO IMPROVE THAT ECONOMIC SITUATION, BUT THAT CAN AND WILL SURVEIL, HARASS ARREST AND PRISON AND MURDER COMMUNITY RESIDENTS.

MEANWHILE, YOUR FAILURE TO INVEST IN THE ECONOMIC WELLBEING OF SAN ANTONIO'S MOST VULNERABLE CITIES ONLY LEADS TO MORE ECONOMIC HARDSHIP, WHICH LEADS TO MORE CRIME TO WHICH YOU RESPOND WITH MORE MONEY FOR THE POLICE.

EVENTUALLY, WE HAVE BOTH IMPOVERISHED HIGH CRIME COMMUNITIES AND A MASSIVE POLICE STATE.

CONGRATULATIONS.

YOU'VE CREATED A DYSTOPIA.

BUT ACTUALLY THE DYSTOPIA IS ALREADY HERE, AND IT'S BEEN CREATED BY THIS VERY APPROACH TO PUBLIC SAFETY, WHICH HAS ONLY LED TO EXTREME ECONOMIC DISPARITY.

AND SIMULTANEOUSLY, CRIME FILLED AND OVER NEW BUDGET WILL ONLY MAKE THE DYSTOPIA WORSE.

WHICH OF YOU WILL HAVE THE GUTS TO FINALLY BREAK THIS CYCLE? HERE'S HOW YOU CAN DO IT.

YOU'VE GOT $101 MILLION IN PROPOSED POLICE FUNDING THAT IS NOT AFFECTED BY THE C B A.

YOU CAN ALLOCATE ALL OF IT TO NON-POLICE HUMAN SERVICES THAT WILL MAKE OUR CITY SAFER BY TREATING THE ROOT CAUSES OF CRIME.

THE PROPOSED BUDGET MAKES CUTS TO SCHOOLS PRE-K COLLEGE READINESS AND SENIOR PROGRAMS. RATHER THAN CUT THESE PROGRAMS, YOU CAN CUT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET INSTEAD.

INSTEAD OF POLICING HOMELESSNESS, YOU CAN INVEST IN HOUSING FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE IT, PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE ADEQUATE HOUSING AND PEOPLE AT RISK OF LOSING THEIR HOUSING.

YOU CAN TRANSFER RESPONSIBILITY AWAY FROM POLICE AND TOWARD OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS FOR THINGS LIKE TOWING AND MINOR TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS, DISCIPLINING STUDENTS RESPONDING TO MENTAL HEALTH CALLS AND RESPONDING TO MINOR COMPLAINTS LIKE SOMEONE TRYING TO PASS A COUNTERFEIT BILL.

YOU CAN INVEST MORE MONEY IN AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS AND YOUTH COUNSELORS INSTEAD OF GANG ENFORCEMENT.

YOU CAN ENFORCEMENT, YOU CAN INVEST IN VIOLENCE INTERRUPTION PROGRAMS LIKE STANDUP SA AND PROGRAMS TO MENTOR YOUTH ON VIOLENCE.

YOU CAN DETACH VICTIM'S ADVOCACY FROM SS A P D AND MOVE IT TO A COMMUNITY GROUP OR TO HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.

YOU CAN MOVE THE ID RECOVERY PROGRAM TO A MUNICIPAL SERVICE LIKE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AS HAS BEEN PROPOSED BY COUNCILMAN TREVINO.

AND YOU CAN PLACE THE MENTAL

[00:30:01]

YOU CAN DO ALL OF THIS.

PLEASE DO BREAK THE CYCLE IN THE DYSTOPIA.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

MR. BILLS.

KAREN MUNOZ, FOLLOWED BY AMY ROSE.

YEAH.

CAN I, UM, THIS IS KAREN MUNOZ.

CAN I GET A CONFIRMATION THAT YOU CAN HEAR ME? IS THAT ? WE CAN HEAR YOU MS. MUNOZ.

UM, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY AMY ROSE.

AWESOME.

UM, SO I WANNA SAY THAT MOST OF WHAT I HAVE TO SAY TO YOU TONIGHT IS NOT NEW.

GERALD COVERED LITERALLY ALL OF IT, REALLY.

UM, BUT I ALSO WANNA SAY LIKE, I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE HEARD FROM MANY OF US THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT'S JOB IS TO RESPOND TO CRIMES AND NOT TO PREVENT CRIMES.

RIGHT? UM, I THINK GERALD'S COMMENT ACTUALLY, ACTUALLY LIKE RESPONDED TO A LOT OF THAT.

UM, I AM A LAW STUDENT AT ST.

MARY'S AND WE DO THE RECOVERY OR ID RECOVERY PROGRAM.

AND WE, I AM, I PERSONALLY WORK IN THE EXPUNCTION PROGRAM.

SO IF SOMEONE IS, UM, IF SOMEONE HAS A CHARGE OF ANY KIND, THEN WE CAN, THEY CAN COME TO US AND WE CAN FIGURE OUT WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN EXPUNGE THEIR CHARGE OFF OF THEIR RECORD.

I'VE SEEN THROUGH THAT PROGRAM A LOT OF SITUATIONS WHERE PEOPLE ARE NOT EVEN GIVEN THE RIGHT NAME.

POLICE WILL COME TO THEM AND SAY, HEY, YOU ARE GIVEN THIS CHARGE.

AND THEN THE POLICE WILL BE LIKE, I THINK YOUR NAME IS X, Y, AND Z, AND THAT'S NOT EVEN THEIR ACTUAL NAME.

POLICE WILL JUST GIVE THEM THE WRONG NAME, RIGHT.

OR GIVE THEM THE WRONG ETHNICITY IS MORE SO WHAT I'VE SEEN.

UM, SO THEN I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF SAN ANTONIO STANDS, AND I KNOW THAT SECOND RELEASE HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING THROUGH AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY, WHICH IS GREAT, BUT AN ORDINANCE IS THE BETTER WAY TO GO BECAUSE AN ORDINANCE WOULD MAKE, MAKE IT MANDATED THAT CERTAIN POLICIES ARE PART OF THE SITUATION.

AND AS IT CURRENTLY STANDS, PEOPLE ARE STILL, AS I'VE SEEN THROUGH THE EXPANSION WORK, LIKE GIVEN THE RACE OF WHITE EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE BLACK.

RIGHT? UM, BECAUSE THERE'S NOT A CLEAR WAY TO DELINEATE THAT EVEN.

RIGHT? AND THAT'S A SEPARATE SITUATION, BUT IT'S THE SAME SITUATION BECAUSE MY MAIN COMMENT IS ABOUT SS A P D AND THE WAY THAT THEY DEAL WITH ALL SITUATIONS.

UM, SO I KNOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE POLICE BUDGET TOMORROW MORNING.

YOU ALL ARE NOT ME, RIGHT? BUT, UM, I JUST, I JUST REALLY DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW ANY CITY COUNCIL MEMBER IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO CAN DIGEST THE NEWS AND NOT FEEL THE SAME AS WE ALL DO.

OBVIOUSLY SAN ANTONIO PD DOESN'T CARE ABOUT THE RESIDENTS AS MUCH AS THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS SAY THAT THEY DO, UM, WHICH IS TROUBLING IN AND OF ITSELF, BUT I JUST, YEAH, I JUST, I I JUST REALLY DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH IT.

I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO SAY TO YOU ALL TODAY.

LIKE WE HAVE BEEN MARCHING SINCE EVEN BEFORE THE LARGE GEORGE FLOYD PROTEST IN JUNE.

AND STILL YOU ALL DO NOT SEE THE THINGS THE WAY THAT WE DO.

UM, WE ALL KNOW THAT POLICE RESPOND TO CRIME.

THEY DO NOT PREVENT CRIME IN AND OF THEMSELVES.

AND POLICE PREVENTING CRIME IS REALLY JUST DETERRENCE, WHICH IS IF YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT DETERRENCE IS, IF YOU'RE A POLICE OFFICER, THAT'S REALLY JUST TERRORIZING LOW INCOME, BLACK AND BROWN PRIMARILY, BUT ALSO POOR WHITE PEOPLE, RIGHT? LIKE WHAT YOU ARE DOING IS, THANK YOU, MS. MUNOZ.

AMY ROSE, FOLLOWED BY VICTORIA GUERRERO, AMY ROSE.

OKAY.

UH, VICTORIA GUERRERO.

VICTORIA GUERRERO.

OKAY, WE'LL MOVE TO JENNIFER FALCON.

YEAH, I'M HERE.

SO LAST NIGHT I LAID AWAKE ALL NIGHT WORRYING ABOUT THE FAMILY OF DARRELL AL SR.

AND I HAD TO ASK MYSELF IF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, SHIRLEY, ROBERTO, REBECCA, WHO VOTED FOR THE C B A, DESPITE HIS FAMILY ASKING YOU TO VOTE AGAINST IT FOUR YEARS AGO, LAID AWAKE AS WELL.

I ALSO LAID AWAKE WORRYING BECAUSE JUST HOURS AFTER HIS DEATH, SS A P D OFFICERS TROLLED CELESTE BROWN AND I'S PERSONAL FACEBOOK, THEY TOOK THE TIME TO SEEK US OUT ON FACEBOOK, OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND LEAVE LAUGHING REACTIONS TO THE DEATH OF THIS MAN JUST HOURS AFTER HIS DEATH.

WE HAVE THE POLICE TROLLING US.

SO THEN I LAID AWAKE, WONDERING, ARE THE POLICE GOING TO COME TO MY

[00:35:01]

I HAVE WORKED WITH YOU, SURELY I WAS YOUR CHIEF OF STAFF AND I HAVE THE POLICE NOW TARGETING ME.

IT'S UNACCEPTABLE THAT YOU HAVE ALLOWED THIS TO HAPPEN.

RON, I SAW YOUR TWEETS ABOUT TALKING ABOUT, UM, THE, UH, BODY CAMPS.

YOU KNOW, THE, THE WAY, THE REASON THE FAMILY CAN'T GET THE BODY CAMS IS FOR THE SAME REASON THE C B A WAS PASSED IS BECAUSE WE HAVE ALLOWED THIS DISGUSTING RACIST SYSTEM TO CONTINUE TO GIVE THE POLICE WHATEVER THEY WANT.

THOSE REFORMS, UH, FOR THE BODY CAMERAS WERE ACTUALLY PASSED BY THE CONFINE COMBINED LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSOCIATIONS OF TEXAS.

THAT IS THE STATEWIDE UNION.

AGAIN, USING THESE REFORMS THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO PUSH ON US BODY CAMERAS, THEY NOW USE THOSE FOR THEIR BENEFIT WHERE A POLICE OFFICER CAN VIEW EVERY SINGLE, UH, CAMERA, UH, THAT WAS RECORDING DURING THE INCIDENT OF THEM MURDERING SOMEBODY.

I DO NOT WANT YOU NEOLIBERALS TO CONTINUE TO TELL ME THAT I NEED TO WAIT FOUR MORE YEARS OR KEEP WAITING FOR JUSTICE WHEN Y'ALL ARE THE ONES WHO MESSED UP IN THE FIRST PLACE BY PASSING THE C B A SILENCING BLACK VOICES FOUR YEARS AGO.

AND NOW WHAT? YOU HAVE BLOOD ON YOUR HANDS AND YOU'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE BLOOD ON YOUR HANDS BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT DOING WHAT YOU NEED TO DO.

AND TAKE THE STEPS TO BE LEADERS THAT WE ELECTED AND STAND UP FOR PEOPLE WHO CLEARLY ARE AFRAID OF THE POLICE.

THANK YOU, MS. FALCONS.

ANO ANI? YES, I'M HERE.

OKAY.

I YIELD MY TIME BY BRAD.

I'M SORRY.

I YIELD MY TIME TO MAUREEN KHAKI.

UH, MS. KHAKI, UH, WAS NOT PRESENT.

UM, I CALLED HER NAME.

I HEAR IT WAS A TECH ISSUE AND I WAS TRYING TO GET IN.

OH, OKAY.

OKAY.

UM, GO AHEAD, MS. KHAKI.

YOU'LL HAVE SIX MINUTES AND THEN YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY BRAD MCMURRAY MURRAY.

THANK YOU.

UM, I HAVE BEEN, UH, BORN AND RAISED IN SAN ANTONIO AND BEEN TRYING TO PARTICIPATE IN CONTRIBUTING TO COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT, UH, VIA SOCIAL JUSTICE.

AND I COME FROM A BACKGROUND AS A PALESTINIAN ORGANIZER AND, UM, EVERY DAY, UM, THE SAN ANTONIO LOOKS MORE AND MORE LIKE PALESTINE TO ME.

UH, WE LIVE IN A STATE WHERE WE HAVE CHECKPOINTS.

UH, WE LIVE IN A COUNTRY WHERE MASS HYSTERECTOMIES ARE BEING FORCED ON IMMIGRANT POPULATIONS.

AND WE LIVE IN A CITY WHERE BLACK PEOPLE CAN'T WALK THE STREET WITHOUT FEAR FOR THEIR LIFE.

AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE IT'S GOING TO TAKE FOR CITY COUNCIL TO REALIZE THAT POLICING DOESN'T WORK.

IF YOU ACCEPT THE FACT THAT WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY WHERE SYSTEMIC RACISM IS PRESENT AND THESE LAWS EXIST THAT ARE INHERENTLY PART OF A RACIST SYSTEM AND USED TO PRESERVE, PRESERVE THAT SYSTEM, THEN YOU HAVE TO ACCEPT THAT THE ROLE OF POLICING IN THIS COMMUNITY IS TO DO THAT ALSO.

AND I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW Y'ALL CAN WEASEL OUT OF THIS AGAIN AND AGAIN, AND ABSOLVE YOURSELF AND PRETEND LIKE THIS IS NOT DIRECTLY ACCOUNTABLE ON YOUR HANDS.

EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU SS A P D MURDERED, S A P D, MURDERED DARYL LAMONT SR.

AND WE HAVE NOTHING TO SHOW IN TERMS OF ACCOUNTABILITY.

AND THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME.

IT'S NOT THE SECOND TIME.

IT'S NOT THE THIRD TIME OR THE FOURTH OR THE FIFTH.

AND I DON'T KNOW HOW Y'ALL SLEEP AT NIGHT WITH THESE NUMBERS STACKING UP, PRETENDING LIKE YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

WHEN THE FACT IT REMAINS THAT YOU COULD REALLOCATE THIS MONEY TOMORROW.

YOU COULD TAKE THE RIGHT STEP.

YOU COULD DO THE RIGHT THING.

IF YOU CARE ABOUT MAKING OUR OUR COMMUNITIES SAFER AND A PLACE THAT ACTUALLY SHOWS COMPASSION FOR ITS RESIDENTS, YOU'LL TAKE THE STEP AND YOU'LL DEFUND.

S A P D.

OTHER CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY HAVE PROVEN THAT THIS IS POSSIBLE.

BY DOING IT, SAN ANTONIO NEEDS TO HOP ON.

WE HAVE A, AN INCREDIBLY DIVERSE COMMUNITY AND IT'S REMAINS SEGREGATED.

AND POLICING IN DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTS BLACK AND BLACK AND BROWN AND POOR COMMUNITIES.

THIS IS NOT NEW INFORMATION.

I'M NOT SAYING ANYTHING THAT HASN'T BEEN SAID BEFORE, BUT I IMPLORE YOU ALL TO REIMAGINE.

HAVE THE BRAVERY, PLEASE, TO

[00:40:01]

IN MOST CASES, STATISTICALLY SPEAKING, POLICE RESPOND 4% OF THE TIME TO VIOLENT, VIOLENT CALLS, 96% OF THE OTHER TIME IS NONVIOLENT.

AND WHY, WHY, WHY IS IT THAT IT RESULTS IN SO MANY DEATHS? THIS IS, THIS HAS BEEN PROVEN OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

THIS IS NOT NEW.

THIS IS NOT, I I, I MEAN, I'M, I'M FLUSTERED AND I'M, I'M UPSET AND I'M ANGRY BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW ELSE TO SPELL IT OUT FOR PEOPLE.

FOR THE FOLKS WHO THINK THAT WE'RE OUT HERE TRYING TO MAKE THIS COMMUNITY LESS SAFE, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CAN BELIEVE THAT.

I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CAN HONESTLY LOOK AT THE WORK THAT PEOPLE HAVE DONE TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF ONE ANOTHER AND THEN TURN AROUND AND SAY, WE'RE HERE BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE THINGS WORSE ON THE COMMUNITY.

WHEN THE FACT IS OBVIOUS THAT POLICING RESULTS IN DEATHS.

AND THAT'S THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT REASON THAT WE DON'T WANT IT ANYMORE.

THERE ARE ALTERNATIVES THAT DO NOT HAVE THIS AS A SYSTEMIC SIDE EFFECT, RIGHT? AND IT'S POSSIBLE.

IT'S POSSIBLE.

IT JUST TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF IMAGINATION FROM EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.

AND TO MAKE THAT START BY MAKING THAT VOTE TOMORROW MORNING.

THANK YOU, MS. KHAKI.

UM, BRAD MCMURRAY, FOLLOWED BY ANTONIO DIAZ.

YES, THIS IS, UH, BRAD MCMURRAY, UH, MAYOR.

THANK YOU.

I'M THE, THE VICE PRESIDENT OF PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT FOR PROSPERA HOUSING COMMUNITY SERVICES, AND WE SUPPORT MORE GAP FUNDING IN THE 2021 CITY BUDGET TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE RENTAL UNITS TO ADDRESS SAN ANTONIO'S DIRE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

PROSPERITY IS A 5 0 1 C THREE NONPROFIT AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROVIDER THAT HAS SERVED SAN ANTONIO AND ITS RESIDENTS WITH HIGH QUALITY AFFORDABLE HOUSING SINCE 1993.

WE PLACED A PRIORITY ON PROVIDING SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO OUR RESIDENTS TO ENSURE THEY NOT ONLY HAVE QUALITY, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT ALSO THE OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE THEIR CIRCUMSTANCE AND TRULY PROSPER.

PROSPER ALSO HAS A WHOLLY OWNED PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANY AND OWNS OR MANAGES MORE THAN 1800 UNITS IN SAN ANTONIO WITH A TOTAL PORTFOLIO OF 50 PROPERTIES COMPOSED OF MORE THAN 4,300 UNITS IN CENTRAL AND SOUTH TEXAS.

WE APPLAUD THE CITY'S EFFORTS AND COMMITMENT TO ASSIST THOSE IN NEED AS A RESULT OF A NEGATIVE ECONOMIC IMPACT FROM C OVID 19.

WE RECOGNIZE THE HEROIC EFFORT OF SO MANY CITY STAFF IN ADDRESSING THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS OF THOSE WITHOUT THE MEANS TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR RENT OR MORTGAGE PAYMENTS AND UTILITIES THROUGH THE EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

WE UNDERSTAND WHAT AN INCREDIBLE SERVICES PROGRAM CONTINUES TO BE FOR SO MANY, AND WE WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT THE COUNCIL'S EFFORTS TO IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO EXTEND THIS VALUABLE AND NEEDED PROGRAM.

HOWEVER, WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THE CHALLENGE OF BALANCING THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS OF SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS WITH THE LONG-TERM AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEEDS OF THOSE SAME RESIDENTS.

PROSPERA CURRENTLY HAS TWO 9% TAX CREDIT DEVELOPMENTS UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN SAN ANTONIO.

SO WE FULLY UNDERSTAND THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, THE CURRENT FINANCIAL MARKETS, AND WHAT IS REQUIRED TO BRING AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS TO FRUITION IN THE CURRENT ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES.

UNFORTUNATELY, THE CHALLENGES ARE SIGNIFICANT.

WE ARE EXPERIENCING INCREASE IN CONSTRUCTION COSTS AND LAND PRICES FOR THE PRIME LOCATIONS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO JOBS WORSENED BY THE DECLINING EQUITY FROM TAX CREDITS AS INVESTORS PAUSE TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES OF C OVID 19.

THIS CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENT MAKES FILLING THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUNDING GAP EVEN MORE SIGNIFICANT.

HOWEVER, WE NEED TO EXTEND THE EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

THIS REQUIRE THE ELIMINATION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING RENTAL GAP FUNDING IN THE 2021 BUDGET.

THIS IS IN SPITE OF SAN ANTONIO'S SIGNIFICANT AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEEDS PRIOR TO C OVID 19 AND EVEN MORE DIRE NEED NOW.

HAPPILY, WE UNDERSTAND THE CITY WAS NOTIFIED THAT IT WILL BE THE RECIPIENT OF APPROXIMATELY 10.2 MILLION OF C D B G CCB THIRD ROUND FUNDING.

OUR HOPE IS THAT NOW THE ELIMINATED AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING GAP FUNDING CAN BE REPLACED OR EVEN INCREASED TO ENSURE THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS IN THE PIPELINE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPERS AND ESPECIALLY LOCAL NONPROFIT HOUSING PROVIDERS, CAN REACH FINANCIAL, CLOSING, AND COME TO FRUITION, THEREBY PROVIDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR 40 TO 50 MORE YEARS.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MR. MCMURRAY.

ANTONIO DIAZ, FOLLOWED BY KATIE MEZA.

YEAH, IT IS ANTONIO DIAZ.

FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO, UH, WISH A HAPPY ANNIVERSARY FOR THE REVOLUTION RIOS.

TODAY IS SEPTEMBER 16TH, THE DATE OF A REVOLUTION.

AND THE REVOLUTION STILL CONTINUES.

MAY NOT BE IN MEXICO, BUT IT IS HERE.

MANY PEOPLE ARE UP IN THE STREETS AND CONTINUING TO PROTEST WHAT IS AN INSTITUTION.

[00:45:02]

WERE ESTABLISHED TO CONTROL THE POPULATION.

IT HAS NOTHING MORE THAN WHAT IT IS.

SO, AND THAT IS WHAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS, THAT IS WHY I GUESS IT GETS THE LARGEST PIECE OF THE LOCAL CITY BUDGET UP TO CLOSE TO SIX 70% NOW, RIGHT? 67, 60 8%.

I THINK ALL THE PEOPLE ARE SAYING OR ASKING FOR TODAY IS THAT IT NOT INCREASE.

IT DOES NOT, DON'T LET IT HIT.

70% DOES KNOCK IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT UNDER THE 65%.

NOT, I'M NOT FOR, UH, ELIMINATING ANY INFRASTRUCTURE, ANY VITAL INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE CITY, PROTECTION FOR THE CITIZENS.

BUT, UH, 60 SOME ODD, GOING TO 70% OF THE BUDGET IS TOO HIGH.

IT'S LOPSIDED.

AND WE NEED TO FUND, ESPECIALLY MENTAL HEALTH, SHOULD NOT BE A PART OF THE BEXAR COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE OR SAN ANTONIO POLICE OFFICERS.

WE SHOULD ACTUALLY HAVE MENTAL HEALTH WORKERS, UH, ATTENDING TO THOSE CALLS.

SO MENTAL HEALTH, EVEN THOUGH IT'S BEEN DEFUNDED BY THE FEDS AND THE STATE, MAYBE IT SHOULD BE PICKED UP BY OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

SO THAT, AND RIGHT NOW HOUSING, UH, I THINK I EVEN HEARD COUNCILMAN BARRY AND DURING SPECIAL SESSION SAY SOMETHING VERY GOOD, WHICH IS TO PRIORITIZE MORE THE NEEDS OF, OF PAYING RENT AND PAYING MORTGAGES OUT FOR THE PEOPLE BECAUSE OF THE C OVID 19 PANDEMIC.

SO THESE, THESE, THESE ARE VITAL ISSUES AND WE NEED TO PRIORITIZE WHERE THE MONIES GO DURING THIS TIMES.

AND AGAIN, I WANT TO WISH EVERYBODY A HAPPY BIRTHDAY THAT'S BORN ON SEPTEMBER 16TH.

AND SO WITH THAT BEING VERY SIGNIFICANT, I TELL ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE STILL LISTEN OUT THERE TO ATTEND OUR MARCH ON OCTOBER 12TH BECAUSE WE ARE TRYING TO DECOLONIZE THE INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO SERVICE.

BUT WE KNOW WE'RE NOT PLACED THERE TO SERVICE, BUT TO CONTROL US, TO KEEP US UNDER CONTROL AND KEEP US QUIET.

WE WILL NOT BE QUIET.

WE WILL NOT BE CONTROLLED ANYMORE, ANYMORE.

THE MURDER OF INNOCENT PEOPLE IN THE STREET.

THANK YOU MR. DIAZ.

KATIE ZA, FOLLOWED BY RILEY EDGAR.

YES.

UH, GOOD EVENING.

LAST WEEK I SPOKE ABOUT DAMIEN AND DANIEL WHO WAS MURDERED BY THE BEXAR COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

AFTER ASKING THEM FOR ASSISTANCE WITH HIS MENTAL HEALTH, I SAID THAT SIMILAR TRAGEDIES HAD HAPPENED AT THE HANDS OF S A P D AND WOULD CONTINUE TO HAPPEN UNTIL WE DEFUNDED THE POLICE.

I WISH I HAD BEEN WRONG, BUT YESTERDAY, SIX DAYS LATER, DARRYL AL, JR.

SENIOR WAS MURDERED BY S A P D AND LAY IN HIS OWN FRONT YARD DYING WHILE CRUELLY DENIED MEDICAL CARE, A FAMILY THAT WAS GOING ABOUT THEIR DAILY LIVES LAST WEEK WHEN I SPOKE ARE NOW OVERWHELMED WITH GRIEF.

THE WAY THE POLICE AND MEDIA PORTRAYED THESE DEATHS CAN LEAD PEOPLE TO BELIEVE THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE DIFFERENT THAN THE REST OF US.

THEY'RE NOT.

THEY'RE HUMAN BEINGS WITH FAMILIES AND FULL LIVES WHO CONTRIBUTE TO OUR CITY.

THE FRAMING OF THEIR STORIES CAN MAKE IT SEEM LIKE THEIR DEATHS WERE INEVITABLE, BUT THEY WERE NOT.

THE ENTIRE MODEL OF POLICING IS BASED ON THE IDEA THAT POLICE ARE PROTECTING THE COMMUNITY AND THEMSELVES FROM A SUSPECT WHO IS ASSUMED TO BE DANGEROUS.

THIS INEVITABLY ESCALATES THE SITUATION AS SOON AS THE POLICE ARRIVE.

THIS VIEW ALSO LEAVES OUT A CRUCIAL DETAIL THAT THE PERSON THEY'RE TARGETING IS A PART OF THE COMMUNITY.

THE POLICE SEE THEMSELVES AS A THIN BLUE LINE BETWEEN PEOPLE NEEDING PUBLIC SAFETY AND CRIMINALS.

BUT WHO IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT LINE? PEOPLE EXPERIENCING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES OR HOMELESSNESS.

STUDENTS HAVING A HARD TIME IN SCHOOL.

AND ALL TOO OFTEN THESE ARE BLACK SAN ANTONIO.

BECAUSE OF THE RACISM INGRAINED IN OUR CULTURE, A LINE CAN'T BE DRAWN BETWEEN THEM AND THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE THEY ARE THE COMMUNITY IN MANY NEIGHBORHOODS IN SAN ANTONIO, I SEE POLICE CARS PATROLLING EVERYWHERE I LOOK, IT SEEMS LIKE THEY'RE JUST WAITING FOR AN EXCUSE TO STOP SOMEONE EVERY TIME THEY DO WITH A POTENTIAL TRAGEDY WAITING TO HAPPEN.

BLACK PEOPLE CAN'T HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS IN THIS CITY, AND THEY CAN'T GO OUT IN THEIR YARD JUST STAYING FURNITURE LIKE DARRYL WAS DOING YESTERDAY.

IN MANY NEIGHBORHOODS IN SAN ANTONIO, I SEE POLICE, CARS, PATROL, UH, SORRY.

THIS IS NOT WHAT OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS.

WE NEED HEALTHCARE, HOUSING, AND EDUCATION.

WE NEED A MODEL THAT SEES EVERYONE IS PART OF A SINGLE COMMUNITY AND ACKNOWLEDGES THAT HELPING EACH PERSON ACHIEVE THEIR FULL POTENTIAL BENEFITS.

THE REST OF US, 10 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED BY S A P D OR HAVE BEEN DIED IN THEIR

[00:50:01]

UNFORTUNATELY, THESE STATISTICS ARE NORMAL FOR SAN ANTONIO WHEN THEY NE SHOULD NEVER BE.