Police-brutality-fight-pollution.pdf

SPAN-Police-brutality-fight-pollution.pdf

While the world is in ecological crisis, the definition of “safety” for the City of Los Angeles in this year’s budget is more police! Mayor Villaraigosa stated before the Police Academy, “I will do everything in my power to protect the  buildup of LAPD, no matter what the cost.” What is the cost that Mayor Villaraigosa is willingto pay for what he considers “safety?” 

A Safe City is a Clean Air City

We  thought  when  Mayor Villaraigosa, talked about keeping promises and “community safety” that he would agressively tackle auto culture and upfront the $10 million needed for the implementation of the Wilshire bus-only lanes. Maybe even track abusive officers and give an elected police review board the ultimate power to discipline and fire ‘gangsta’ cops.  As if 40% of the city budget for cops wasn’t enough, the Mayor is proposing all city departments to cut their budget by 8%, encouraging unpaid time off and cutting your social services to meet, $1 billion plan to ensure 1,000 more police by 2010. This budget can only lead to violent incidents like Rodney King beating, the Rampart Scandal and the May 1st beating of protestors, more lock-up of our people for petty crimes rooted in being Black, brown and poor. Expanding the police force will not tackle root problems like unemployment, lack of housing, transportation and educational opportunities! 

While L.A. streets are overrun by over 7 million automobiles, the Mayor’s Transit Plan is “traffic relief” instead of  bus-only lanes and stopping the 375,000 hours of bus service cuts proposed by the MTA. Global temperatures are expected to rise from 2.5 to 10.4 degrees Farenheit by 2100---warming that we have not seen in the last ten thousand years! We don’t have have to wait 80 years, look around, glaciers are melting, there’s extreme droughts, floods, killer hurricanes, not to mention the monster fires that swept through Southern CA.  In L.A. scientists predict more hotter days over 90 degrees, putting low-income Black and Latino communities, already in most danger during these hot spells to further bear the intensified smog and growing heat without air conditioning.  People of all ages with heart conditions are at a huge risk of heart failure with hotter temperatures, and increasing smog that will raise Black children’s already high rate of asthma attacks.

Clean Air City Needs to Start Today

We need Mayor Villaraigosa and L.A. City Council place a moratorium on police hiring now.  We urge all those who believe we need social services instead of more police to call Mayor Villaraigosa today. We urge the leadership of the Mayor and City Council to upfront the funds to implment Wilshire Boulevard Bus-Only Lanes today and stand up against the 375,000 MTA bus service hours proposed to be cut!

Join the BRU Fight! Call Mayor Villaraigosa al 213-978-0600
BRU Monthly Meeting, April 19 at  9:30  P.M.  (corner of Wilshire and Western)
1000 More Buses, 1000 Less Police!  Bus Only Lane to the Sea Now!!