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Guest Opinion | Pastor Kerwin Manning: Refund Our Community

Published on Sunday, June 13, 2021 | 6:33 am
 
Pastor Kerwin Manning. (Photo by John E. Morse Photography via Facebook)

After attending the Pasadena City Council meeting on June 7th, I felt obligated to speak up. I’ve had the honor of Pastoring this City for over 20 years and fully understand the importance of honoring my word, to my congregation and to the residents of this great City. We expect our City officials to have the same obligation, honestly respecting and championing the desires of the people who elected them. On behalf of the residents of our City, I implore you, to not disregard the many voices of community members who are concerned about the budget for fiscal year 2022. We are demanding that the City Council reconsider pouring millions into frivolous Police spending and reassign these funds appropriately, INVESTING IN THE COMMUNITY.

In the midst of a global pandemic and its terrible aftermath, it has become explicitly obvious to us that something has to change. There is a greater expectation for Council Members to really work through the details of our City’s finances and not simply rubber stamp the Police Department’s proposals, which are not specifically designed to help our community heal and recover from such devastating circumstances.

Instead, we are asking the City of Pasadena to directly fund services that will ultimately make us stronger and better as a City. For example, the Police Department’s voluntarily funding of the Pasadena Outreach Response Team alone is not acceptable. It does not provide sufficient support or sufficient hours of availability. It does not even provide for a mental health professional.

I’ll say it again, in this season of rebuilding and restoration, the residents of this City are calling upon our City Council to do right by the same people who voted them into office: reallocate funds from unnecessary Police Department spending and utilize them to strengthen the foundation of our community. INVEST IN SERVICES THAT HELP OUR PEOPLE.

I’m hopeful that Mayor Gordo will listen to the people because this is what endeared him to so many underserved members of our community. He walked with us, talked with us and listened to us. Mayor, City Council Members…Don’t Stop now…Listen to us and REFUND OUR COMMUNITY!!!

Finally, I’ve always thought that it is unfair and highly disingenuous for the City Council to cut the allotted speaking time of residents. I’ve personally seen and heard Council Members talk into the wee hours of the night, taking their time, allowing each member to fully express themselves. IT’S ONLY FAIR TO ALLOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO HAVE 3 MINUTES. Furthermore, it should be mandatory for Council Members to show their faces on screen during public meetings, assuring the community that they are both engaged and concerned. However, I’ll save that one for another time.

Humbly submitted,

Pastor Kerwin Manning
Senior Pastor/“Head Coach
PasadenaChurch.com

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