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I've been stuck trying to dig into the Police Budget motion that will be put in front of City Council next week. Action is great, but this action specifically, has a few issues I need clarifications on:
As it stands, the Police Services Act prevents the City Council from approving or disapproving specific line items in the police budget, as per the text of the motion (below):
1. How will this process look? If 15 councillors are on board to push this motion forward, will there be a motion on the Provincial level that calls for an amendment to the Police Services Act? Should constituents also be connecting with their MPPs regarding the police budget?
2. If the province turns down the request made in Item 1 of the motion how will that impact the other items? The text of the motion can be found in the link below: https://www.kristynwongtam.ca/member_motion_defundtps
3. Defunding the police, especially TPS, is a notable demand from Black Lives Matter Toronto, who have worked tirelessly to advocate for the issue. Their demand requests at least 50% reduction to the budget---
--In respecting their political work and demands, it is important that the minimum number be increased beyond 10%. Where did this 10% come from? As @sandela said during a @progresstoronto panel, people have not been marching on the streets for 10%, so where is this coming from?
This motion misses a few marks - notably, it fails to understand that Defund is beyond a performative slicing off a tiny sliver of a billion dollar budget. It is a complete overhaul of the budget and a plan for how this money should be reallocated in community support.
Speaking of reallocation, Mayor Tory dropped this press release earlier today: https://www.toronto.ca/news/city-of-toronto-announces-funds-for-community-services-to-do-more-for-vulnerable-populations/
Highlights that $4.97M will be allocated towards supporting local initiatives that serve vulnerable populations (still thinking about this term) - but this sounds great - until you realize that it is a reallocation of SSRF funds which was announced months ago as a COVID response
One could argue that this is a distraction from the goal of overhauling and reinvesting the police budget into community services and initiatives. "We've already given them money, why do you need more?" - this makes me worry.
Going back to the Mayor's sentiments regarding the minimum 10% reduction motion, let's put it nicely, he will never go for it. Throughout this entire exchange with @jpags the mayor constantly signals towards reform
He refers to strength in being able to agree on reform, rather than those who "moved [sic] our own motions and did our own thing" - once again, we go back to choosing between nothing and incrementalism.
I want to see change and action, but co-opting a movement created by Black and Indigenous activists to do what, seek 10% reduction on a billion dollar budget, toning down a thought out request for a 50% reduction from BLMTO, does not seem like the way to go forward.
All that to say, pls fix thx.
Read ALL of this: https://twitter.com/sandela/status/1275550614051672064
