Correspondence - Updated 5/10 — Alameda City Council, May 10, 2022

From: Savanna Cheer
To: Trish Spencer; Tony Daysog; John Knox White; Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft; Malia Vella; City Clerk; Manager Manager Subject: [EXTERNAL] Feedback for budget workshops this week Date: Tuesday, May 10, 2022 12:50:00 PM
Hello:

This week you will hear from staff on the mid-cycle budget review. There are a number of items that I'd like to express support for and some I'd like to raise concerns about.

Overall, I, and many others in Alameda, want to see budget investments in programs and positions that provide care and support to our community; not punishment or policing. Having a budget surplus is an opportunity to set priorities for Alameda that reflect our community's values. Here are some of those values well-expressed:

Addition of a Community Development Program Manager for homelessness. We should absolutely be spending money to ensure all people in Alameda can be housed and safe.

Additional funds for the CARE team. You should support AFD’s request for additional positions and resources, but only if the focus is placed on training and support that removes APD’s presence on CARE team calls. I strongly support the addition of funds to Alameda Family Services’ contract as well.

Addition of resources to Public Works to administer parking enforcement. It's a step in the right direction to see this responsibility now falling under Public Works instead of APD.

Here are a few places in the staff presentation that DO NOT express Alameda's community values:

The request for a Deputy City Attorney/Prosecutor position in the Prosecution Unit of the city attorney’s office. You should oppose the addition of this position. According to a recent Mercury News
article, more than half of this unit’s cases from 2021 have been DUIs, low level drug offenses, disturbing the peace charges and court order violations.

Out of 111 resolved cases, 54 were dismissed and just 39 resulted in convictions. The fact that we, as a city, would reject a city librarian position yet approve $191,000 for a role whose sole responsibility it is to criminalize poverty and struggle (and not all that effectively), is outrageous. There is ample evidence, some shared with you by other community members, about low-level prosecutions doing virtually no good and only causing harm. Say no to this!
The addition of a Lieutenant position within APD and various of APD’s contract requests. In particular, if we’re moving towards Public Works enforcing parking, why would APD need money for contracts related to this enforcement? Also, there have been countless issues around APD’s communication and PR apparatus. We should not be spending more money on APD comms contracts. APD does not need additional resources, as they have demonstrated time and again that they cannot be trusted to keep our community safe. The optics alone on giving APD more money when a crew of them just got away with murder is pretty disugusting.

Please consider the great opportunity you have during this mid-cycle budget review and make recommendations that will support care-giving, life-affirming service delivery in our city.

Thank you,
Savanna Cheer
From: Jackie Zipkin
To: Lara Weisiger; Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft; Malia Vella; Tony Daysog; John Knox White; Trish Spencer Subject: [EXTERNAL] Comments on Budget Workshop - Item 2A Date: Tuesday, May 10, 2022 11:54:42 AM
Dear Honorable Mayor and Council Members,
I appreciate the opportunity to provide input to the City's mid-cycle budget process, and I am writing to comment in advance of tonight's Budget Workshop for Fiscal Year 2022-23 Mid-Cycle Budget Update.

Alameda is in an enviable position going into this second year of the budget with a significant surplus. I believe that surplus should be focused on programs that care for our city’s most vulnerable, particularly as citizens continue to struggle our way out of this pandemic. The funds should be spent exclusively on programs that make our community better, not those that focus on criminalization.

Specifically, I strongly support the following staff recommendations:

Addition of a Community Development Program Manager for homelessness.

Additional funds for the CARE team. I support AFD’s request for additional positions and resources and request that a focus be placed on training and support that allows for the phase out of APD’s attendance on CARE team calls.

I also strongly support the addition of funds to Alameda Family Services’ contract.

I support the addition of resources to Public Works to administer parking enforcement, taking this off APD’s plate.

I have the following concerns with staff’s recommendations:

I oppose the addition of the Deputy City Attorney/Prosecutor position in the Prosecution Unit. According to a recent Mercury News article, more than half of this unit’s cases from 2021 have been DUIs, low level drug offenses, disturbing the peace charges and court order violations. The city’s priority for $191,000 should not be on a role whose sole responsibility it is to criminalize poverty and struggle.

I oppose the addition of a Lieutenant position and request that greater scrutiny be applied to APD’s contract requests. Traffic enforcement for example, does not need to be housed within APD, and the city should be exploring alternative service delivery models, similar to what was done with parking enforcement.

Also, there have been countless issues around APD’s communication and PR apparatus. We should not be spending more money on APD communications contracts.

In summary, I request that the Council direct staff to focus use of the surplus on community services and not criminalization. In particular, APD does not need additional resources, as they have demonstrated time and again that they cannot be trusted to keep our community safe.

Sincerely,
Jackie Zipkin
From: Trish Spencer
To: Lara Weisiger
Subject: Fwd: [EXTERNAL] Please Support City of Alameda Aquatic Facilities during your coming budget workshop Date: Tuesday, May 10, 2022 9:48:04 AM
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Clifton Linton <[email protected]>
Date: May 5, 2022 3:40 PM
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Please Support City of Alameda Aquatic Facilities during your coming budget workshop
To: CityCouncil-List <[email protected]>
Cc:

May 5, 2022

The Honorable Mayor Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft
& Members of the Alameda City Council
2263 Santa Clara Avenue
Alameda, CA 94501

RE: Funding Support for the City of Alameda Aquatic Facilities

Dear Mayor Ashcraft and Members of the Alameda City Council,

My name is Clifton Linton. I’m a 59-year-old adult fitness swimmer. I recently was involved in a biking accident and swimming will be an important part of my healing process.

As a resident of the City of Alameda and frequent user of the public pools, I write to urge you to support the funding for maintenance of the City’s current public pools and the development of a new pool facility in your budget.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the surge in demand for aquatic programs increased dramatically, however the maintenance and upkeep did not. Additionally, due to demand, in part, driven by the Alameda Recreation and Parks Department programs and resident youth and adult programs, the City’s public pools experienced difficulty providing water space to accommodate all groups seeking access.

In particular, the Emma Hood Swim Center, located at the Alameda High School, as you are aware, is especially in need of major repair or replacement. The 65-year-old facility was issued a Notice of Health Concerns by the Alameda County Department of Environmental Health (ACDEH) in 2019 due to extremely poor conditions. Additionally, Encinal Swim Center, located at the Encinal Junior & Senior High School is also in need of maintenance so that the facility remains in a state of good repair.

With the closure of the Emma Hood Swim Center looming, our residents would be put in an even worse predicament with significantly less water space. A comprehensive strategy for the development of a new pool, in addition to the repair and ongoing maintenance of the Emma Hood and Encinal Swim centers, is needed immediately. Our City needs a new pool and your residents, and their children deserve not only aquatic facilities that meet the standards of the ACDEH at a minimum, but enough space for all groups to have the ability to participate in aquatic activities.

We urge you to please work to include funding support in your budget for your City’s aquatic facilities, in addition to the development of a new municipal pool.

Thank you in advance for your consideration, we hope to see your support.

Sincerely,

Clifton Linton
2810 Van Buren St.

Alameda, CA 94501
______________________
From: Trish Spencer
To: Lara Weisiger
Subject: Fwd: [EXTERNAL] Support our Community aquatic facilities Date: Tuesday, May 10, 2022 9:47:17 AM
Attachments: Letter to Alameda City Mayor City Council re Support for Aquatic Facilities Funding (002) (1)(1).pdf We sent you safe versions of your files.msg
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Randell Sharpe <[email protected]>
Date: May 8, 2022 12:30 PM
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Support our Community aquatic facilities To: CityCouncil-List <[email protected]>
Cc:

Mimecast Attachment Protection has deemed this file to be safe, but always exercise caution when opening files.

Please read the attached letter and take action to support our community pools.

Randell Sharpe AMS
Sharpe Surveying & Consulting
242 Inverness Ct.

Alameda, CA 94502
(510) 337-0706
[email protected]

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From: Trish Spencer
To: Lara Weisiger
Subject: Fwd: [EXTERNAL] RE the "emergency housing" project and potential fiscal mismanagement Date: Tuesday, May 10, 2022 9:29:00 AM
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Shelby S <[email protected]>
Date: May 8, 2022 6:16 PM
Subject: [EXTERNAL] RE the "emergency housing" project and potential fiscal mismanagement
To: Trish Spencer <[email protected]>
Cc:

Council Member Herrera-Spencer-
As you are likely well aware, I am a staunch opponent of the Emergency Housing project proposed for my neighborhood in the Big Whites and other residences.

I believe my rationale is well-reasoned, however, there is at least one more reason that I believe the project is inappropriate--that is regarding potential fiscal mismanagement. I also believe there may be a potential issue of housing discrimination also described below.

I am very concerned that this "pet" project is being put forward by City special interests without regard to the above concerns as well as the others I have previously mentioned.

The City has a responsibility to follow the law, and unless all these concerns are properly addressed, the citizens of Alameda cannot be assured that the City is actually following the law.

I am writing because I hope that you will refer this to the City Manager and City Attorney- if appropriate--to follow up on the issues I bring up here as I believe these issues should be investigated.

ISSUE 1. RE fiscal mismanagement
You are probably familiar with the Navy EDC and the constraints therein.

It is my understanding that, according to the EDC, the neighborhood is supposed to be a revenue-producing area to generate income to be put back into repair and maintenance for Alameda Point. Therefore, it follows that any project that impacts that ability is in opposition to the EDC.

Regarding the Emergency Project, for the City to "Farm" this neighborhood for a City project that is not revenue-producing, thereby reducing the ability for Alameda Point to "pay for itself", it appears to me to be an obvious case of fiscal mismanagement, a violation of the EDC --and potentially a violation of the Alameda Municipal Code.

As a corollary, there is the issue of breach of fiduciary duty as the City has a duty to maintain and market in good faith each rental as well, in order to generate revenue for use in Alameda Point, just like they do with the commercial properties here. This brings up my next point:

An additional --and just as important-cause regarding fiscal mismanagement could be made due to withholding the properties off the market for so long as they otherwise they would be revenue-generating. (in contrast to "city-owned FACILITIES" which are taxpayer funded, and are those that are appropriate to use for City projects).

Lisa Maxwell even admitted the City has intentionally withhold the homes from the market, and further admitted the homes are usually rented immediately once on the market.

Is the City using the Emergency funding source monies to replace the lost rental revenue so it goes directly back into the Alameda Point coffers? If so, the City has yet to show that is the case.

The fiscal impact the Project has had so far
is very large- (and it hasnt even yet begun)--
using my estimates below (which may not be exact), the City has foregone about $25,000 every month the six homes (from the May 3 presentation) are vacant. Money that is desperately needed to maintain and repair these homes.

In addition to the homes "tagged" for the Emergency Project, there are 3 other homes that are sitting vacant and are not
being readied for occupancy.

There is another Big White and 2 Ranch homes that have been siting vacant at least since January which would bring in an additional $10k/ month), That makes the total for these vacant homes about $30,000 loss of revenue each month these are not rented.

As follows:
2815 Newport (~$4K+/mo @1 year)=$50,000)
2825 Pearl Harbor (~$4K/mo @ 9 mos)=$36,000
2845 Pearl Harbor (~$4K/mo @11 mos)=$44,000
2700 Lemoore (~$2700/mo @9 mo)= ~$25,000
2821 Barbers Point (~$3K/mo @ 6 mos)=$18,000
2601 Barbers Point Unit D (~$2700/mo @ 6 mo)= ~$16,000 ---
BW on San Diego=(~$4K/mo @ 4 mos) =$16,000
2 Ranches =(~$3K/mo @ 4 mos)= $12K + $12K = $24,000
Therefore as of the end of May, by these estimates, the City has intentionally foregone about $225,000 in lost revenue (and ticking at $30K per month for the 9 vacant homes).

That makes no fiscal sense to me. In my opinion, there needs to be an investigation into the management of these assets. Someone needs to be held accountable.

ISSUE 2. Housing Discrimination.

The Navy EDC requires these houses be used for residential use to be available for all Alamedans and are likely subject to fair housing laws. It seems to me that by withholding these homes from the market for availability for ALL Alamedans, the City is potentially subject to a housing discrimination lawsuit. I believe this issue should also be looked into due to the potential risk of a major lawsuit.

Please follow up on these issues or otherwise direct me the appropriate department so I can proceed myself in order to get these questions answered.

Thank you in advance for your consideration,
Shelby Sheehan
--
Shelby
510-435-9263
From: Trish Spencer
To: Lara Weisiger
Subject: Fwd: [EXTERNAL] Funding Support for the City of Alameda Aquatic Facilities Date: Tuesday, May 10, 2022 9:27:17 AM
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Jenny Linton <[email protected]>
Date: May 8, 2022 8:47 PM
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Funding Support for the City of Alameda Aquatic Facilities To: CityCouncil-List <[email protected]>
Cc:

The Honorable Mayor Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft
and Members of the Alameda City Council
2263 Santa Clara Avenue
Alameda, CA 94501
Dear Mayor Ashcraft and Members of the Alameda City Council, As a resident of the City of Alameda and a frequent user of our public pools, I write to urge you to support the funding for maintenance of the City’s current public pools and the development of a new pool facility for the community of Alameda.

Our family moved to Alameda 20 years ago because of the robust swim team structure in town. We have been a part of the Islanders (now the Gators), Alameda Aquatic Masters, and Alameda's Special Olympics swim season. Access to swimming and instruction is important for all members of our community. We strongly support this.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the surge in demand for aquatic programs increased dramatically. The maintenance and upkeep did not. Additionally, due to demand, in part, driven by the Alameda Recreation and Parks Department programs and resident youth and adult programs, the City’s public pools experienced difficulty providing water space to accommodate all groups seeking access.

When this happens, our programs have been canceled in favor of the high school programs, and when they share a school, teams practice until 9:45pm on school nights.

The Emma Hood Swim Center is especially in need of major repair or replacement. The 65- year-old facility was issued a Notice of Health Concerns by the Alameda County Department of Environmental Health (ACDEH) in 2019 due to extremely poor conditions.

Encinal Swim Center is also in need of maintenance so that the facility remains in a state of good repair.

With the closure of the Emma Hood Swim Center looming, our residents would be put in an even worse predicament with significantly less water space. A comprehensive strategy for the development of a new pool, in addition to the repair and ongoing maintenance of the Emma Hood and Encinal Swim
centers, is needed immediately. Our City needs a new pool. Our residents and their children deserve not only aquatic facilities that meet the standards of the ACDEH at a minimum, but enough space for all groups to have the ability to participate in aquatic activities.

We urge you to please work to include funding support in your budget for your City’s aquatic facilities, in addition to the development of a new municipal pool.

Thank you in advance for your consideration, we hope to see your support.

Sincerely,
Jenny Linton
Alameda Aquatic Masters swimmer
Board member, Special Olympics of Northern California
From: Trish Spencer
To: Lara Weisiger
Subject: Fwd: [EXTERNAL] Funding Support for the City of Alameda Aquatic Facilities Date: Tuesday, May 10, 2022 9:22:03 AM
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: [email protected]
Date: May 9, 2022 8:25 AM
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Funding Support for the City of Alameda Aquatic Facilities To: CityCouncil-List <[email protected]>
Cc:

Dear Mayor Ashcraft and Members of the Alameda City Council,

As a long-time resident of the City of Alameda and regular user of the public pools, I write to urge you to support the funding for maintenance of the City’s current public pools and the development of a new pool facility in your budget.

I have lived in Alameda for almost 30 years now and chose to move here because of the easy access to swimming facilities. I usually swim 5 days a week and have been a member of Masters Swimming for 37 years. I am also currently serving as the Co-President of the Alameda Aquatic Masters Board. My wife and two kids also enjoy swimming and the vibrant swim community in Alameda is one of the things that makes living in this city so special.

With the closure of the Emma Hood Swim Center looming, the city of Alameda needs a replacement facility. I have seen first-hand that the current demand for pool time cannot be met with the Encinal facility alone. When Emma Hood is forced to close for repairs, Masters Swimming has to cancel workouts and other groups are forced to practice late into the evenings.

A comprehensive strategy for the development of a new pool, in addition to the repair and ongoing maintenance of the Emma Hood and Encinal Swim centers, is needed immediately. Our City needs a new pool to maintain and grow our wonderful swimming community.

My family and I, as well as the Alameda Aquatic Masters, urge you support funding for Alameda’s aquatic facilities, in addition to the development of a new municipal pool.

Thank you in advance for your consideration, we hope to see your support.

Sincerely, Tim Velasco

From: Trish Spencer
To: Lara Weisiger
Subject: Fwd: [EXTERNAL] Alameda Pools
Date: Tuesday, May 10, 2022 9:20:29 AM
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Stephanie Lapachet <[email protected]>
Date: May 9, 2022 2:54 PM
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Alameda Pools
To: CityCouncil-List <[email protected]>
Cc:

May 9, 2022

The Honorable Mayor Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft
& Members of the Alameda City Council
2263 Santa Clara Avenue
Alameda, CA 94501

RE: Funding Support for the City of Alameda Aquatic Facilities

Dear Mayor Ashcraft and Members of the Alameda City Council,

In particular, the Emma Hood Swim Center, located at the Alameda High School, as you are aware is especially in need of major repair or replacement. The 65-year-old facility was issued a Notice of Health Concerns by the Alameda County Department of Environmental Health (ACDEH) in 2019 due to extremely poor conditions. Additionally, Encinal Swim Center, located at the Encinal Junior & Senior High School is also in need of maintenance so that the facility remains in a state of good repair.

With the closure of the Emma Hood Swim Center looming, our residents would be put in an even worse predicament with significantly less water space. A comprehensive strategy for the development of a new pool, in addition to the repair and ongoing maintenance of the Emma Hood and Encinal Swim centers, is needed immediately. Our City not only needs to improve our existing pools but should continue to exam ways to build a new facility. In this way we can finally provide the residents, and their children the aquatic facilities that a city of our size and caliber should be able to provide.

We urge you to please work to include funding support in your budget for your City’s aquatic facilities, in addition to the development of a new municipal pool.

Thank you in advance for your consideration, we hope to see your support.

Sincerely,
Stephanie Lapachet and family

From: Trish Spencer
To: Lara Weisiger
Subject: Fwd: [EXTERNAL] Funding Support for the City of Alameda Aquatic Facilities Date: Tuesday, May 10, 2022 9:19:55 AM
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Liviu Busuioc <[email protected]>
Date: May 9, 2022 4:16 PM
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Funding Support for the City of Alameda Aquatic Facilities To: CityCouncil-List <[email protected]>
Cc:

May 9, 2022

The Honorable Mayor Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft
& Members of the Alameda City Council
2263 Santa Clara Avenue
Alameda, CA 94501

RE: Funding Support for the City of Alameda Aquatic Facilities

Dear Mayor Ashcraft and Members of the Alameda City Council,

We urge you to please work to include funding support in your budget for your City’s aquatic facilities, in addition to the development of a new municipal pool.

Thank you in advance for your consideration, we hope to see your support.

Sincerely,

Liviu Busuioc
From: Trish Spencer
To: Lara Weisiger
Subject: Fwd: [EXTERNAL] Fwd: Links and Letter
Date: Tuesday, May 10, 2022 9:19:10 AM
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Aidan Lapachet <[email protected]>
Date: May 9, 2022 5:13 PM
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Fwd: Links and Letter
To: CityCouncil-List <[email protected]>
Cc:

Dear Mayor Ashcraft, Vice Mayor Vella, City
Council Members and Staff,
I am writing to you tonight about your
budget meeting on May 10th, 2022. In the
proposed budget you have allocated NO
funds to the repair of Emma Hood Pool.

Members of the community and swim
community turned out in numbers to ask
you to please match the funds that the
school district is allocating in their passage
of Measure B next month.

The Emma Hood Swim Center is 65 years
old, has been in disrepair for some time.

Since 2010 – that is 12 years, you and the
school district have known of the needed
repairs and possibility if closure by The
Alameda County Department of
Environmental Health Department (ACDEH).

The school district has put forth a solution
for half of the costs for the complete repair
of Emma Hood in the upcoming bond –
Measure B. They have also committed to
making Emma Hood the top priority of
matching funds are put forth from the city.

Yet – you are ignoring the needs still.

The two pools have a number of problems,
with the most significant ones being:

1. Refinishing the plaster in the dive
pool.

2. Addressing an air leak that affects the
required water turnover rate so the
water is safe for users.

3. Repairing areas of concern on the
concrete pool deck to address safety
and ADA issues.

Also, outside of the repair issues, the pool
is only 25 yards long and the facility is not
big enough or deep enough for California
Interscholastic Federation swim or water
polo meets. We need to be able to host
these meets in Alameda.

Emma Hood closes in 2 weeks. Please don’t
be the reason it closes forever. AHS holds
its swim, dive and water polo practices at
the pool. The Alameda Recreation and
Parks Department (ARPD) also runs spring
and summer programs at the pool. The
largest users are the local swim clubs and
teams, including the Alameda Gators,
Alameda Aquatic Masters Swim Team, and
Neptune’s Water Polo for youth and adults.

If you don’t allocate the fund in this budget
– you’ll have let down the community.

We, the community are frustrated it has
taken this long to fix the problems. Now that
the school district has a solution – the city
is not being a helpful partner in repairs for
our only community pool on the East End of
Alameda. Emma Hood’s closure will put an
undue burden on the Encinal Pool to be
ONLY pool for generation of swimmer and
students.

I ask that you allocate 7.5 million for the
repairs and reconstruction of the Emma
Hood Swim Center.
- Aidan Lapachet
From: Ryan LaLonde
To: Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft; Trish Spencer; Tony Daysog; City Clerk; Malia Vella; John Knox White Subject: [EXTERNAL] Upcoming Budgeting and Emma Hood Pool Date: Monday, May 9, 2022 8:17:43 PM
Dear Mayor Ashcraft, Vice Mayor Vella, City Council Members and Staff, I am writing to you tonight about your budget meeting on May 10th, 2022. For item: 2-A, 2002-1968 - in the proposed budget you have allocated NO funds to the repair of Emma Hood Pool/Swim Center.

Members of the community and swim community turned out in numbers to ask you to please match the funds that the school district is allocating in their passage of Measure B next month.

The Emma Hood Swim Center is 65 years old and has been in disrepair for some time. Since 2010 – that is 12 years, you and the school district have known of the needed repairs and possibility of closure by The Alameda County Department of Environmental Health Department (ACDEH).

The school district has put forth a solution for half of the costs for the complete repair of Emma Hood in the upcoming bond – Measure B. They have also committed to making Emma Hood the top priority if matching funds are put forth from the city. Yet – you are ignoring the needs still.

The two pools have a number of problems, with the most significant ones being:

1. Refinishing the plaster in the dive pool.

2. Addressing an air leak that affects the required water turnover rate so the water is safe for users.

3. Repairing areas of concern on the concrete pool deck to address safety and ADA issues.

Also, outside of the repair issues, the pool is only 25 yards long and the facility is not big enough or deep enough for California Interscholastic Federation swim or water polo meets. We need to be able to host these meets in Alameda.

Emma Hood closes in 2 weeks. Please don’t be the reason it closes forever. AUSD holds its swim, dive and water polo practices at the pool. The Alameda Recreation and Parks Department (ARPD) also runs spring and summer programs at the pool. The largest users are the local swim clubs and teams, including the Alameda Gators, Alameda Aquatic Masters Swim Team, and Neptune’s Water Polo for youth and adults. If you don’t allocate the fund in this budget – you’ll have let down the community.

We, the community and parents are frustrated it has taken this long to fix the problems. Now that the school district has a solution – the city is not being a helpful partner in repairs for our only community pool on the East End of Alameda. Emma Hood’s closure will put an undue burden on the Encinal Pool to be ONLY pool for generations of swimmers and students.

I ask that you allocate 7.5 million or close to that amount for the repairs and reconstruction of the Emma Hood Swim Center.

Ryan LaLonde
2945 Marina Dr.

Alameda, CA

From: Lorin Laiacona Salem
To: City Clerk; Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft; Manager Manager; Tony Daysog; Malia Vella; Joseph Kim; Trish Spencer Subject: [EXTERNAL] 22-0510 Budget Workshop, agenda item 2022-1968 Date: Wednesday, May 4, 2022 12:18:37 PM
Dear Mayor, Vice Mayor and Council,
I am writing to strongly protest the inclusion in the upcoming budget for the Deputy City Attorney position to help prosecute misdemeanor crimes. At over $190,000, the salary alone for this position could fund a new Librarian or contribute significantly to the City's much- needed homeless services - both options that would better Alameda and help those who live here. Instead, the money will be wasted on a position that perpetuates harm in our community.

I'll draw your attention to this article in the Washington Post last year, that states just that:
"Pushing minor cases — trespassing, shoplifting, driving infractions and so on — through the criminal legal system appears to do more harm than good." https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2021/04/06/misdemeanor-prosecution-future-crime/ Or this article, which said that misdemeanors can "haunt a person for life," by ruining their credit, and preventing them from being able to get a job or housing. https://laist.com/news/criminal-justice/misdemeanors-can-haunt-a-person-for-life-why-las-da- stopped-charging-many-of-them
In the end, prosecuting these crimes harms those in need of help in our community without making anyone safer. For example, this article in Time Magazine last year stated that not prosecuting people for nonviolent misdemeanors may actually reduce crime. https://time.com/6045637/not-prosecuting-misdemeanors-reduce-crime/ I urge you to remove this item from the budget and cease prosecuting these minor misdemeanors.

Thank you,
Lorin Salem

Alameda City CouncilMay 10, 2022

Alameda City Council
May 10, 2022