Hayward councilmembers approved a $169 million budget for the next fiscal year that includes a $4.1 million cut to the Hayward Police Department. The move comes following several weeks of advocacy by Hayward residents for the City Council to incorporate a list of seven demands to defund the police department.
The cut approved on Tuesday night amounts to 4.9 percent reduction in funding to the department over the previous fiscal year. A coalition of Hayward activist groups had urged for a 10 percent cut to the department that included calls to demilitarize the police force, enact a hiring freeze on incoming police academy graduates, and a prohibition of paid leave to officer accused of misconduct, among the demands.
The bulk of the cuts are derived from an existing hiring freeze for 12 vacant police officers positions. The reduction in officers equals $2.9 million for the fiscal year. In addition, the cuts include a $980,000 decrease in capital improvement project budget, and a $260,000 reduction in supplies and services for the police department.
“Eliminating the police is extreme as is increasing funding for the department. The middle ground is really this: We would like a more efficient and effective police department,” Councilmember Aisha Wahab said, who added, “That change looks different for a lot of different people.”
The council also directed staff to allocate $1 million from the general reserve fund for social services, but directed staff not spend the additional funding until the second quarter of the next fiscal year, which begins in October. The cautious direction was signaled by councilmembers and staff who said worries about the ongoing economic upheaval due to covid-19 may persist into the fall.
A number of speakers on Tuesday night, criticized some councilmembers and the city administration for falling to listen to their concerns. To meet the group’s demands of a 10 percent cut to the police department, Dustin Claussen, the city’s director of finance, said such a cut would likely include layoffs of sworn police officers. However, the prospect of police layoffs was met with oppositions from a number of councilmembers on Tuesday night.
Councilmember Elisa Marquez later offered language to the resolution approving the budget that commits the council to beginning a more fulsome discussion of the role of police in Hayward and the list of seven demands urged by members of the public. The council approved the budget, 6-1, with Councilmember Aisha Wahab voting no out of concerns about the budget being balanced with the use of the city’s reserve fund.
Like other cities, the pandemic has hit Hayward’s finances hard. Its reserve fund now sits at $24 million after expending roughly $12 million to balance the Fiscal Year 2020 budget. Hayward’s reserves rest at 14 percent of its total general fund, which is below the council-set policy of 20 percent.
The closure of the local economy has translated into an estimated decrease of $9.6 million in total new revenue. The city’s finance department expects sales tax revenue to fall by nearly 16 percent over last year. The Real Property Transfer Tax, the proceeds paid by both buyer and seller of property, is expected to fall by 13 percent.
With travel virtually non-existent, Hayward’s hotel tax is predicted to drop 30 percent. To fill the gap, city leaders are contemplating a ballot measure in November to boost the hotel tax. They argue the additional tax does not affect Hayward residents since most hotel rooms would presumably be occupied by visitors from out-of-town.
The council is elected to represent the people. Thay have done that on this issue. Cuts for all departments are anticipated, not just police. I have lived in Hayward for more than 20 years after living in cities across the country and believe police have generally done a good job. Mistakes, some bad apples yes. Improvements are always beneficial. Thomas_Clarke represents a point of view, and we should listen, he should get elected if he believes his voice is not being heard.
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Anarchy is not the answer
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We would get more bang for our bucks by defunding the radical leaders in Hayward and probably be much safer.
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Absalom, look to your name. You are rebelling against your Father, the United States. Your vision of more police and resistance to the will of the people will gain you the same result as the third son of David.
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I am an immigrant that lives in Hayward, I have escaped from a country with high corruption, poor services etc. I am appalled by the actions of these people that want more crime. What we need is *more* police action against protesters and looters! Otherwise the People (even the ones that are not citizens like me) will need to stand up to the challenge, arm themselves and defend what they have.
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Your anti-America commie BS doesn’t play well in Hayward; people want the exact opposite of your brainless idiocy.
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Hayward needs an additional 300-500 police officers and abolish the anti-American “sanctuary city” illegal idiocy… then Hayward might become an actual decent American city.
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Fewer police = more crime.
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No mention of the establishment of the Police Commission. No discussion on deescalating the Looting policy to prevent murder by cops. No discussion of the requirement of body cameras to be worn and activated at all times. No discussion on listing the officers who are under caution for past bad acts. No discussion on listing the officers who do not live in Hayward. No discussion on ensuring that the police represent the ethnicity and gender of the community. No calls for ending the practice of immunity for bad acts. No comments on requiring that dashboard cameras are in action for all police vehicles. No follow up on requests for information on all police officers with serious misconduct on their records. No calls for an ending of No Knock Warrants. No calls for eliminating police in schools. No calls for converting funds for police on the Homeless and Mental Health and Drug issues being channeled to professionals to deal with these issues and not cops. No calls for greater transparency with the police and the unions. So nothing is going to change in Hayward. Or will it?
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