Local Residents to Hold “Budget Teach-In” Event

Local residents will identify what they consider to be under-funding of critical community programs and funding disparities at a budget teach in from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on April 28.

According to a statement released on Thursday. The event will “highlight overspending on and [the] need to fund other city departments.”

The Police Department has a more than $90 million budget, 234 sworn officers, and 120 civilian employees, including part-time workers. There are also 140 active volunteers.

According to a report to the council’s Finance Committee last year, $78.4 million of the department’s budget is dedicated to personnel costs.

The overall budget is based on a two-year effort to reorganize resources and restructure responsibilities around ways public safety services are delivered.

Beginning in 2018, staff determined there was an urgency to prepare for the future of policing, according to the city staff report.

Critics have called on the city to reduce the size of the Police Department by 20 percent and cut the department’s budget by 20 percent.

The City Council has shown no appetite to defund the police.

The City Council will begin public hearings for the Fiscal Year 2023 Budget. Hearings follow in the various City Council committees from May 3rd throughout the month.

The City Council is scheduled to close public hearings on June 20 and adopt the 2023 Recommended Operating Budget.

“The fiscal year 2022 Pasadena budget appropriated over $91 million for the Police Department, $40 million for the Housing Department, and $19 million for the Public Health Department.  The teach-in event is designed to educate the public about how the city is spending the community’s money and programs that are currently not fully funded such as housing and violence prevention,” according to the release. “The public will hear about city spending and how to submit comment during the budget hearings to address unmet needs.  No special knowledge or experience needed.”

RSVP for webinar link: https://bit.ly/38FQizX