HomeMy WebLinkAboutHardy Brown_ City remakrs for 7 15 20_ 1
Hardy Brown, Publisher Emeritus
Black Voice News
7/15/20
To Mayor and Council;
You have before you tonight a staff report to place Measure Z on the November election
ballot to increase our sales tax. You already know that all of the past revenues have gone
to the police department in salaries where 93 cents out of every dollar you give them will
leave the city and go into the communities where they live. That leaves you with 7 cents
of Measure Z money to put back into the city. I say that because 93% of the police
officers do not live in our city and salaries’ including benefits consumes most of the
police budget according to your reports.
I cannot support this recommendation in good conscious unless we as taxpayers in this
city get something in return for our money.
Consider these suggestions;
Only give the police 50% of Measure Z money for public safety, and for youth gang
intervention and prevention programs give 25% to Parks and Recreation for intervention
programs and 25% to our non-profit Faith Based organization for prevention programs in
the city. We know these organizations serve our youth in our city where the money will
be recycled back over and over again in the community.
Next you should pass an ordinance establishing a $300 maximum of which any
individual, business firm, political action committee or any vested group may contribute
to a Candidate for city office or a City adopted Measure that would increase or decrease
taxes in San Bernardino Municipal Government during any Calendar Year. This
ordinance should take effect 30 days after you approve it.
Reform the Public Safety Commission to give it greater oversight with authority to
investigate citizens complaints and police abuse allegations and you should demand
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greater representation of diversity through out the ranks in the police department. For
starters you can break a 114 years history of discrimination toward Blacks by hiring an
African American as Chief of Police or a City Manager now that these positions are open. Mayor you made this statement on June 1 2020. “The city of San Bernardino seeks to be an ally in the fight against racial injustice and the dismantling of systemic racism”, Well now you can be an ally to the Black citizens of San Bernardino. I have been fighting to help dismantle discrimination and racism all of my life in the south where I was born and in the west where I live; in private corporations, government agencies, and there is one thing I have learned is, you always start at the top. Presidents Lincoln and Johnson taught the nation that as president, Mr. Jim Vohs president and CEO of Kaiser Permanente taught me that at Kaiser and Mayor Bob Holcomb taught us that as mayor of San Bernardino. Now you and the council sit in the seat of power for this city, it is your responsibility with a moral obligation before God to act on behalf of all of us and not just for those who give you campaign donations and do not live here. Do the right and just thing by delaying this recommendation and acting on my suggestions. If you do this we can then move the city Forward by working together.