David Gowan proposes legislation to stop AZ cities from defunding the police

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From TucsonSentinel.com

March 18, 2024 by Leah Britton: Four years after activists led calls to “defund the police” during nationwide protests of systemic racism and brutality, Arizona lawmakers are working to make sure that won’t ever happen in Arizona. A bill now being considered by the state Senate would prohibit cities and towns from decreasing the annual operating budget for law enforcement from the prior year’s budget. If a city does reduce police funding, the state treasurer would be required to withhold that same amount in state dollars from the city until the law enforcement cuts are restored.

Commentary by Bob Karp
This is another exercise in performative legislation that meets no actual need that improves the lives of people in Arizona. There is no serious "defund the police" movement in Arizona, unlike what the national Republican party is doing with the FBI, ATF and DOJ.
The idea that a city can't reduce a police budget from year to year based on circumstances because if would defund the police is ridiculous. Let's say you have huge budget windfall one year, federal funds come in to support local policing. Next year things return to normal so you adjust the budget.
No! Not in David Gowan's proposal. The state legislature needs to stop meddling in local government.  Local governments react to the needs of their constituents.  If voters don't like the policy on public safety they will vote the people out.  
Read the article at Tucson Sentinel
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