AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- The battle over Proposition A on the Nov. 2 ballot reached a new level Thursday, with critics of the measure coming together to say "No Way on Prop A."
The coalition represents more than 80 different groups including various labor unions, the Austin Justice Coalition, and the Travis County Democratic Party.
Proposition A would require the City of Austin to staff a minimum of two police officers per 1,000 residents. It would also require an additional 40 hours of post-cadet class training hours per year.
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Critics of the proposal have said if Proposition A passes, it will force the city to make substantial cuts in other departments and programs, including family violence, substance abuse, and ambulance services.
“If Prop A passes, all of these services will be on the chopping block,” said Austin City Council District 2 member Vanessa Fuentes during a press conference Thursday.
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An internal cost estimate produced by city staff indicated that approving Proposition A could cost between $271.5 million and $598.9 million over the next five years.
While the recently approved 2021-22 fiscal year budget pushed APD's funding to an all-time record high of $442 million, and the approved budget includes funding for two additional cadet classes, the roughly 150 cadets that would be expected to graduate from those classes would likely not be enough to completely offset the number of officers retiring and resigning, based on recent trends.
Save Austin Now co-founders Matt Mackowiak and Cleo Petricek released a statement ahead of Thursday's event, highlighting what they feel is the need for increased public safety staffing. "Low income neighborhoods disproportionately hurt by skyrocketing homicide rates, 911 wait times, and other horrific residual effects of the council’s police defunding efforts are going to lead the way voting for Prop A," said the statement. "A police department with better trained, sufficiently staffed, and foreign language proficient officers are issues Austinites agree on."
Mackowiak and Petricek said paid activists are behind the opposition campaign "on the city's full-time payroll," and voters will have their say in November. "Just like last time, the city is out of touch with the on-the-ground impact their policies are having and are using city resources to fight the majority of voters," the statement continued. "Our city can afford the same number of police officers that the city authorized just two years ago. City Hall may not support law enforcement, but city residents do. We will return safety to our city on November 2."
Early voting for the Nov. 2 election runs from Oct. 18 through Oct. 29.
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