Shoutout to our note-taker Robert Gonzalez for his work on this write-up!
On 7/19/2022, the Sacramento City Council voted in favor of placing the Sacramento Children and Youth Health and Safety Act on the November 8, 2022 ballot.
The Sacramento Children and Youth Health and Safety Act claims to focus on:
Supporting the mental health and emotional wellness of children and youth
Preventing and reducing homelessness among children and youth, including youth transitioning out of foster care
Preventing and reducing youth substance abuse
Preventing and reducing youth violence
Supporting the healthy development of young children, ages 0 to 5 years old
Types of services that could be funded to help this act:
Mental health and counseling services
Substance abuse prevention services
Street outreach, violence intervention, and case management
Career pathways for a youth workforce
Summer and after-school programs
Early childhood education and family support services
All noble goals, and the public seems generally supportive - however, if the Act is adopted, the ballot initiative establishes a Planning and Oversight Commission, with each Councilmember and the Mayor appointing one person to the committee to manage and oversee funds for the program. So it is imperative that members of the community maintain constant pressure on the City Council, to make sure that these funds get spent properly and for useful services.
This City Council has not earned the benefit of the doubt, they cannot be trusted to do the right thing without encouragement from the public.
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