What can $117 Million buy?

On June 29 #TOcouncil will consider a motion by @joshmatlow to "reduce the Police Budget by 10% and direct the savings towards the community"

So, I was curious... what could that money do to help?

This thread shows what I found.

#TOpoli #BLM

1/12

I only have access to the @Open_TO 2019 approved operating budget summary Open Data set, but it suggests there is potentially $117 Million that can be reinvested.

Below is a graph that shows how that amount compares to other selected Toronto expenses.

#TOpoli #BLM

2/12

The Integrity Commissioner’s office has a budget of $576,000 and only 3 staff to advise, educate, regulate, and investigate issues of ethics & integrity on 35,000 employees.

Maybe we can give them an extra $5 Million and boost their budget?

#TOpoli #BLM

3/12

So, we’re now left with $112 Million.

Let's split that in half and create 2 different programs.

Take-off 20% for overhead.

That means we can create two new programs, each with $44.8 Million operating budgets.

#TOpoli #BLM

4/12

The 2019/20 @torontofdn Vital Signs report quotes that "racialized populations, especially those who identify as Black and Indigenous peoples, are particularly likely to be homeless, far beyond their representation in the population."

https://torontofoundation.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/VitalSigns2019.pdf

#TOpoli #BLM

5/12

There was a pilot that gave Survivors of Domestic Violence portable housing benefits. Applicants got $500/month ($6,000/year) for rent

So, let’s expand scope & scale

With $44.8 Million, you could help 7,467 households (not people. Avg houshold is 2.5 people)

#TOpoli #BLM

6/12

Now, let’s help struggling young families with a city funded after school program.

There is a service called PLASP and they offer an after-school program for elementary children that costs ~$3,300 per school year

#TOpoli #BLM

7/12

So, how many spots could be created in a city-funded after-school program for racialized elementary children?

13,493

Young children from racialized and struggling families now have a place to go to while they wait for mom and/or dad to finish work.

#TOpoli #BLMprotest

8/12

To summarize. $117 Million can potentially get

1) An Integrity Commissioner’s office 10x its current size
2) ~7,500 racialized households access to a substantial rent subsidy
3) ~13,500 racialized school children a city-funded spot in an after-school program

#TOpoli #BLM

9/12

One more thing, there were 37,674 reported assaults, auto thefts, break & enters, robberies, and thefts over $5,000 in Toronto in 2019

I’m not a sociologist/criminologist, but I like to think that the reinvested $117 Million would help to reduce those crimes

#TOpoli #BLM

10/12

Please politely correct me if I'm wrong. I only hope to do my part (perhaps awkwardly) and foster a civil discussion.

And if anyone would like to work with me to create something better, please reach out :-).

Thanks and let’s keep working the problem.

#TOpoli #BLM

11/12

PS please take a few moments to listen to this masterful piece titled “How Long Blues" - first released around 1938 by William “Count” Basie.

#TOpoli #BLM

12/12