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BREAKING NEWS: A departmental breakdown shared with aldermen last week shows that, of the $403 million in discretionary federal funds provided to the city COVID-19 direct response, more than $280 million (!!!) went to the Chicago Police Department. #CARESNotCops #RightToRecovery
Comparatively, the Department of Public Health received just over $18 million; the Office of Emergency Management received just over $8 million; the Department of Family and Support Services got less than $200,000. The Office for People with Disabilities got only $2,000.
The breakdown also shows that $68 million of the CARES Act funding was unspent in 2020 even as tens of thousands of Chicagoans were denied rental relief and cash assistance and Mayor Lightfoot insisted on raising property taxes, fines, and fees in the 2021 budget.
There is a budget committee meeting today @ 10am where Budget Director Susie Park will be asking for approval on how the remaining $68 million can be spent. We have some questions.
83,000 people applied for just 2,000 city grants in April 2020. Why did the Mayor hang on to this surplus money when clearly there is so much unmet need? https://blockclubchicago.org/2020/04/08/83000-people-apply-for-just-2000-city-grants-to-help-unemployed-chicagoans/
Why did the city raise property taxes and fines and fees on us while a nearly $70M surplus went unspent?
What was the $280M for police spent on within the department? Does it fall into the mandated “costs incurred and services required due to COVID-19”?
Why was only $54M spent on departments much better suited to handle implementation? Why was more money not put towards rebuilding the city’s public health infrastructure? Or helping struggling small businesses? Or families facing eviction?
Stay tuned for a press conference tomorrow morning at 9:45 with community organizations who will be responding to this complete mismanagement of emergency funds by the city.
Committee update: https://twitter.com/DanielLaSpata/status/1362083685001027584?s=20
