OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — A vote to amend the city’s budget by shifting funds from Omaha Police to a variety of community services failed to pass during City Council’s meeting Tuesday.
City Council President Chris Jerram proposed shifting over 1%, or roughly $2 million, of OPD’s budget to other resources.
Most of the money would have gone to mental health services.
Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert has said she won’t cut any money from OPD’s $161.3 million budget and would have vetoed the amendment if it had it passed.
Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said the amendment would have led to a reduction of about 20 personnel.
The council did pass Pete Festersen's amendment by a 4-3 vote. Under that plan, $1.8 million would be diverted from cash reserves to mental health workforce training.
Mayor Stothert said she will veto Festersen’s amendment.
The overall vote on the budget was 5-2.
So far, the council has passed amendments for the Set Me Free Project, an org. to prevent human trafficking ($50K) and the Women's Center for Advancement ($25K)
— Jon Kipper (@jonnykip21) August 18, 2020
The council just passed an amendment that give $35K towards the next city elections in 2021.
— Jon Kipper (@jonnykip21) August 18, 2020
This will help residents to get a vote by mail postcard, just like they've received in the primary and general election.
Jerram says about a decade ago, the mayor supported small cuts to police funding as a council-member.
— Jon Kipper (@jonnykip21) August 18, 2020
Says the rhetoric of defunding the police, isn't particularly helpful.
Jerram has said he doesn't think he has the votes to pass this, but he wants to start the conversation.
— Jon Kipper (@jonnykip21) August 18, 2020
Just for reference, Jerram's amendment would take $2 million from the proposed police budget.
— Jon Kipper (@jonnykip21) August 18, 2020
-$1.5 million goes towards mental health programs
-$500K goes towards Heartland Workforce Solutions
Schmaderer says about 12-13 years ago, the city had an epidemic of shootings and homicides.
— Jon Kipper (@jonnykip21) August 18, 2020
Says they revered that trend and the last few years, the numbers are going way down.
Schmaderer asked about community policing.
— Jon Kipper (@jonnykip21) August 18, 2020
He says the PACE program includes about 25k kids (probably less this year due to covid).
Says OPD meets weekly with community partners.
He says most of his budget is people and that it's hard to make cuts to people, if this $2 million in cuts was passed.
— Jon Kipper (@jonnykip21) August 18, 2020
Gray says when he started on the council there was about 4% of black OPD officers. It's now around 10%.
— Jon Kipper (@jonnykip21) August 18, 2020
He worries if the amendment is passed, the black, newer officers, would be the ones cut.
Gray says Chief Schmaderer was one of the first chiefs in the country to condemn the George Floyd shooting.
— Jon Kipper (@jonnykip21) August 18, 2020
Gray says he realizes the necessity of mental health...But this is about process.
— Jon Kipper (@jonnykip21) August 18, 2020
Says he doesn't do things in a knee jerk reaction, says bad things happen when you move too quickly.
Council-member Pete Festersen says the proposed budget is status quo on the issues many have raised.
— Jon Kipper (@jonnykip21) August 18, 2020
Says constituents called the budget one of a "bygone era" and "tone deaf."
He says the amendment is responsive to concerns and a good first start.
He's also voicing concerns that the budget doesn't account for COVID-19.
— Jon Kipper (@jonnykip21) August 18, 2020
Curtis says he advises against taking money from the cash reserves.
— Jon Kipper (@jonnykip21) August 18, 2020
Says if county or state doesn't help out city, they will be looking at "fairly massive layoffs."
Council-member Vinny Palermo says we already don't have enough police officers, due to annexations and the delay of a new police class.
— Jon Kipper (@jonnykip21) August 18, 2020
Says the newly hired officers would be the first to let go. Plus, they'd have to cut training, which concerns him.
Palermo says if you are in favor of cutting the police budget, "this is not the way to do it."
— Jon Kipper (@jonnykip21) August 18, 2020
The council passes Festersen's amendment 4-3. $1.8 million would be diverted from cash reserves to mental health workforce training.
— Jon Kipper (@jonnykip21) August 18, 2020
Mayor Stothert could still veto that amendment.
Festersen also says he won't be supporting the overall budget.
We now have about two dozen protesters after the council voting against cutting police funding. pic.twitter.com/iR3OlgTjom
— Jon Kipper (@jonnykip21) August 18, 2020
The mayor says she will veto Festersen’s amendment. He’ll need to find one more to override it.
— Jon Kipper (@jonnykip21) August 18, 2020
Stothert also says the state will give the city $30 million from the CARES Act to cover police and fire.
— Jon Kipper (@jonnykip21) August 18, 2020
She’s hoping the county will match that and if they do, the city will be a whole again.
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