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June 7th, 2022 www.kennedycommission.org 17701 Cowan Ave., Suite 200 Irvine, CA 92614 Mayor Sarmiento and the City Council Members 949 250 0909 City of Santa Ana 22 Civic Center Plaza Santa Ana, CA 92701 RE: Agenda Item 16: FY 22-23 City Budget - Invest in Community Care and Health The Kennedy Commission (the Commission) is a broad -based coalition of residents and community organizations that advocates for the production of homes affordable for families earning less than $27,000 annually in Orange County. Formed in 2001, the Commission has been successful in partnering and working with Orange County jurisdictions to create effective housing and land -use policies that has led to the new construction of homes affordable to lower -income working families. The ongoing pandemic has undoubtedly impacted the financial well-being of working class families across Santa Ana. It is imperative that the City Council prioritizes a balanced and equitable budget that meets the material needs and prioritizes the well-being of Santa Ana residents. The Santa Ana City Council must invest in Community Care and Health. The Commission asks that the Santa Ana City Council (Council) invest in community care and health throughout the Fiscal Year 22-23 City Budget by adopting the following recommendations: 1. Allocate $1 Million to properly fund a robust and effective Police Oversight Board. 2. Allocate $150,000 of General Fund dollars to fund for grants to Community Based Organizations that provide: a. Mental Health Services for Trans/Queer and LGBTQ youth, b. Re-entry programs and services for system impacted youth, and/or c. Counseling support and preventative services for youth. 3. Allocate increased funding for an additional staff person at the City's WORK Center and youth jobs within City Government that are accessible to undocumented Youth. 4. Allocate increased funding for youth service programs within areas in City Hall and not within the police department, such as those that can provide young people with access to skill development, recreation, and housing. Context Police Oversight: Over the last two years, a majority of this Council has voiced support for the creation of a Police Oversight Board in Santa Ana. While the Council's Police Oversight Ad -Hoc Committee drafts a policy proposal the council must allocate funds to properly fund the Police Oversight Board. The Council allocated $141,082,500, or 40%, of the 2021-22 Fiscal Year General Fund to the Santa Ana Police Department. The estimated annual cost for an effective investigative -auditor model for police oversight is less than 2% of the annual Police Department budget.