Unbelievable.
Facing pressure from thousands of constituents calling to defund the police, New York City slashed $1 billion from the police budget. But some city lawmakers -- and the protesters calling for change -- think the cuts weren't sweeping enough.
The New York Police Department is the largest force in the US and employs over 55,000. The department budget was almost $6 billion for the 2020 fiscal year.
The approved budget includes nearly $484 million in cuts and will reallocate $354 million to other agencies "best positioned to carry out the duties that have been previously assigned to the New York Police Department, like the Department of Education, the Department of Health & Mental Hygiene and the Department of Homeless Services. Another $162 million was slashed through "associated costs," the council said in a statement.
(https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/01/us/new-york-budget-nypd-1-billion-cut-trnd/index.html)
So do the math.
Slashing $1 billion from a budget of $6 billion comes out somewhere around 17%.
Cutting 17% in a time where gangs, drugs, gun violence, and terrorism (just to name a few) are rampant in America -- including/especially the big cities.
What a crock!
Defund it 5% each year for the next 4 years, maybe. But 17% all at once?!!?
There will be regrets.
Grace & Peace & Love to you all -
Matt