Thread by @JoAnnPDX

Tomorrow afternoon, City Council will vote on the Fall budget and decide whether to accept my proposed amendment to reallocate $18 million from PPB to build a bold new model of community safety that focuses on reinvesting in communities. (A thread)

Before we get into the details of tomorrow’s vote, I want to say that no matter the outcome, together we have effectively moved the conversation back to centering people and that is so important. This was never just about this one budget. 1/12

This has always been about rethinking how we foster community safety so that Portlanders of all walks of life have what they need to be safe and thrive, and that includes being safe from police violence. 2/12

I also want to acknowledge the anxiety many of us may be feeling from the elections. Here’s what I want to offer you: our journey does not end at the ballot box, nor does it end with tomorrow’s vote. 3/12

Just like yesterday, tomorrow is not the end of our hard-fought battles in the movement for justice and accountability.
Over and over again, our communities have given us a clear mandate to rethink community safety. 4/12

Last night, Portlanders voted overwhelmingly for a new community police oversight system, and the majority of Oregonians voted to decriminalize drug possession and invest in treatment over jails. 5/12

Last Wednesday night, Council heard roughly six hours of public testimony supplemented by the hundreds of daily messages to our offices demanding urgent action related to reallocating funding from the police budget to our communities. 6/12

In June, over 700 Portlanders provided public testimony and my office received over 75,000 messages with the same demand. 7/12

With this mandate, I will continue to work with anyone and everyone to address our communities’ needs. I remain open to consider and discuss all options as we continue in this much-needed conversation. 8/12

Tomorrow’s council session on the Fall BMP begins at 2pm and the remaining amendments proposed, including mine, will be discussed and voted on. Next week will be Council’s vote on the final budget package that includes successful amendments. 9/12

You can still contact your City Council to offer your feedback on the budget. 10/12

No matter what happens, the reality is thousands of Portlanders united and mobilized over this past year to push the city to reimagine community safety and invest in the community. 11/12

We hear the need for courageous leadership and I am committed to finding alignment with my colleagues to move us towards a system that keeps all Portlanders safe and supported. /End