Cries to close Atlanta’s jail grow louder as council weighs 2023 budget

ATLANTA, Ga. (CBS46) – On Monday, dozens referred to as on Atlanta’s Metropolis Council to tweak the Metropolis’s 2023 proposed funds.

“We perceive the council has a job. We perceive the mayor has a job. However the folks even have a job as properly,” stated Devin Barrington-Ward, who spoke through the public remark interval.

“And we wish to see a folks’s funds.”

The overwhelming ask – divert funding at present earmarked for the town’s detention heart.

“I’m asking, no begging, no demanding, that you just shut this jail and redirect these funds,” stated one speaker, wearing a health care provider’s white coat advocating for extra investments in healthcare.

The council is contemplating Mayor Dickens’ $2.3 billion proposed 2023 funds.

The council has heard shows from metropolis departments for the previous few weeks.

It should go the funds, with Dickens’ signature, earlier than the beginning of the fiscal 12 months, starting July 1.

At the moment, $16.1 million is earmarked for the Division of Corrections, which incorporates the town’s 17-floor detention heart.

This can be a 15% improve for the Corrections Division in comparison with the 2023 funds.

Between January and Might 2022, the Atlanta Metropolis Detention Heart housed 46 inmates per day on common, in accordance with a metropolis spokesperson.

“I’m asking that you just reallocated the $16.1 million funds of the Atlanta Metropolis Detention Heart and spend it fixing the basis causes of the issues that lead folks to finish up there,” stated one other speaker.

Councilmember Alex Wan stated councilmembers had been listening to the enter from the neighborhood in earnest on Monday.

He stated Councilmembers have till Tuesday, June 14 to suggest modifications to the funds.

Wan instructed that there’s a contingency of the Council which might be concerned with diverting funding from the detention heart.

“We could not see it on Tuesday, but it surely feels like there’s a motion now inside councilmembers to determine a means within the brief time period to impact this [change],” stated Wan, in an interview with CBS46 on Monday.

Based on the Metropolis, the general public could have one other alternative to weigh in on the funds course of on Wednesday, June 15.

A public discover reads:

The Metropolis of Atlanta will maintain a Public Listening to on Wednesday, June 15, 2022 at 12:00 pm & 6:00 pm, within the Council Chamber, Second Flooring, Metropolis Corridor South Annex, 55 Trinity Avenue, S.W. Atlanta, Georgia, for the aim of listening to written and oral feedback from the general public regarding the adoption of the millage charges. All residents are inspired to attend and to submit feedback. A replica of this data, the millage charges and extra background supplies can be found for public inspection upon request by way of e-mail municipalclerk@atlantaga.gov.

Copyright 2022 WGCL. All rights reserved.