Policy Session · 19 May 2026

1. 0:30:25Yes, thank you, Mayor.
2. 0:30:27As stated, my name is Elsie Duarte, and along with Carmen Cota, we will be providing Spanish interpretation today.
3. 0:30:33I will now introduce ourselves to our Spanish speaking audience.
4. 0:30:38Muy buenas tardes, bienvenidos a esta sesión de políticas.
5. 0:30:42Mi nombre es Elsie Duarte y junto con Carmen Cota estaremos brindándoles interpretación durante esta sesión.
6. 0:30:52Para las personas que se encuentran presencialmente y quieren escuchar la reunión simultáneamente al español, pueden pasar al kiosco a la entrada de la sala de cámaras por unos audífonos.
7. 0:31:03Las personas que pasen al frente a hacer un comentario público
8. 0:31:07Thank you so much.

Spoken in Spanish, transcribed as said

Some lines may be an automatic translation of Spanish speech, not the speaker's own words

1. 0:40:22and one of our signature events is just a few days away.

1. 0:48:40As we discussed two weeks ago, changes to the recommended general fund

1. 0:53:06All right, thank you, Ed.
2. 0:53:08Good afternoon, Mayor, members of council.
3. 0:53:10Thank you for the opportunity to present the 26-27 proposed budget.
4. 0:53:15In this presentation, I'll provide a brief overview of the 26-27 budget and also discuss the outreach and community feedback that we brought into the budget process.
5. 0:53:25And then I'll recap the general fund status before providing an overview of the additions to next year's budget in both the general fund and our non-general funds.
6. 0:53:34I'll then turn the presentation over to a few different co-presenters including our Office of Heat Response and Mitigation, our Parks and Recreation Department, and our Youth and Education Office.
7. 0:53:45At both the budget hearings and the policy meeting on May 5th, comments were made on shade and youth team programming specifically and so we wanted to give these departments an opportunity to really highlight the work that is already being done in these areas.
8. 0:53:58Parks and Recreation will also discuss the expanded team programming being added to this budget.
9. 0:54:04And both Parks and Youth and Education will discuss the Youth Pilot Program that is being funded by Neighborhood Block Watch funds.
10. 0:54:11And after these spotlights, I'll discuss next steps in the budget process.
11. 0:54:15First, here is a high-level picture of the 26-27 general fund budget.
12. 0:54:21The largest share is in public safety, which includes police and fire.
13. 0:54:25Community enrichment is the next largest section.
14. 0:54:27This includes our parks, our libraries, our human services, which includes our Office of Homeless Solutions, and our arts and culture department as well.
15. 0:54:36General Government is the next largest share at 11%.
16. 0:54:39Criminal Justice, Community Development, Environmental Services, and Transportation make up a combined 7%.
17. 0:54:45Again, many of these categories have much larger overall budgets, but their main funding sources are either enterprise funds or special revenue funds rather than the general fund.
18. 0:54:55We'll talk about those in just a moment.
19. 0:54:58Finally, our contingency and other items such as set asides make up about 7% of the general fund budget.
20. 0:55:04While the general fund is the focus of this presentation, it's actually a little bit less than one-third of the city's total operating budget, which is just about $7.8 billion.
21. 0:55:14Enterprise funds such as water, aviation, solid waste, and convention center make up the largest slice of the pie.
22. 0:55:21And then our special revenue funds, which include funds that are restricted in some ways, such as grants or voter-approved dedicated sales taxes like the Parks and Preserve Initiative or T2050, Transportation 2050, that is,
23. 0:55:33Those are our special revenue funds.
24. 0:55:35They make up about 31% of the budget.
25. 0:55:38These figures have been updated very slightly from the city manager's proposed budget back on May 5th based on finalized capital improvement programs and carryovers in the CIP.
26. 0:55:48The citywide operating budget covers the wide range of services that our residents have come to know, and you can see that breakdown here.
27. 0:55:56Public safety does remain the largest share of the pie at 34%, but you can see the significant investments in other areas, including transportation at 20%, environmental services at 16%, and then community enrichment and community development as well.
28. 0:56:12As I mentioned, this chart is important because it highlights that while some of these areas may not have significant general funding, they do have significant other funds and provide a very large impact on our community.
29. 0:56:24Now after extensive advertising in local television, radio, digital media, as well as other forms of outreach, we took the trial budget out into the community through 12 hearings in late March and mid-April.
30. 0:56:37We also solicited feedback via phone and email.
31. 0:56:41We received more than 400 comments on the budget, which was really a great response from our community.
32. 0:56:46Major themes included flexible financial assistance, refugee support, shade, libraries, and eviction legal assistance.
33. 0:56:54A summary of these comments, as well as significant information about the ways the city is already addressing many of these issues
34. 0:57:00is included in today's council report in attachment D as Ed mentioned.
35. 0:57:05That attachment has been updated to include even more information on the city's shade efforts as well as on downtown park safety, including efforts at Margaret T. Hance Park, which was brought up at the discussion in our May 5th meeting.
36. 0:57:18So again, I encourage residents to make sure they check out attachment D in today's report.
37. 0:57:23Now as a reminder, our proposed budget surplus is $162.5 million.
38. 0:57:29The chart below shows how we determine the surplus, comparing our forecasted revenues and resources, excuse me, versus our forecasted expenditures.
39. 0:57:37You can see the resulting surplus, $162.5 million, broken up between a mixture of one-time funds, just over $100 million, and $62 million in ongoing funds.
40. 0:57:49Again, we must have a balanced budget both by city charter and by state law.
41. 0:57:54And that simply means that our resources must equal our expenditures.
42. 0:57:57And so the proposed budget recommends allocating the surplus in a number of ways.
43. 0:58:02You can see those ways here.
44. 0:58:04They include investments in a variety of key council priority areas, addressing employee compensation, and setting aside funds to make sure that we remain balanced in fiscal year 27-28.
45. 0:58:16I'll now briefly walk through each of these categories.
46. 0:58:19The first is Community Health and Safety, which totals $1.6 million and 11.5 FTEs.
47. 0:58:25This area includes $500,000 in one-time funds for community safety plan enhancements along the 27th Avenue corridor.
48. 0:58:34It also includes $500,000 in one-time funds in lighting enhancements at several city parks.
49. 0:58:40There's also $266,000 in eight and a half FTEs.
50. 0:58:45Those are ongoing funds for two new spaces, the Geo Bond funded Esteban Park Recreation Center and Lone Mountain Park, both of which will be opening next year.
51. 0:58:55And then finally, this category includes the Park Services Permit Program.
52. 0:58:59This includes three positions and $379,000 in ongoing funds to administer the program and provide outreach to individuals experiencing homelessness.
53. 0:59:09The next priority area is children, youth, and families and includes $9.4 million and .5 FTEs.
54. 0:59:15This area includes the $5 million child care affordability set aside to improve child care affordability for Phoenix families.
55. 0:59:26Now this also includes a one-time use in fiscal year 26-27 for SNAP navigation support.
56. 0:59:33for our residents who have been impacted by federal changes to the SNAP program and state changes to the administration of this program.
57. 0:59:40Next, the Flexible Emergency Financial Assistance Program includes $3.15 million in one-time funds.
58. 0:59:48It includes up to $200,000 for staffing costs, and that will provide one-time crisis assistance and stability assistance, which includes case management and financial coaching for our residents who are experiencing financial hardship.
59. 1:00:02Team Services Programming includes $937,000 in ongoing funds, and this will be discussed in further detail in just a moment.
60. 1:00:10And finally, this priority area includes $322,000 in ongoing funds to secure a parking lease for the Cholla Branch Library.
61. 1:00:19The next priority area is homeless service continuity, which includes $18.4 million in ongoing funds to replace expiring American Rescue Plan Act funds.
62. 1:00:29These funds will support shelter operations at both city-operated and nonprofit-operated shelters, as well as city heat relief efforts, the Keys to Change Key Campus operations, and the Master Lease program.
63. 1:00:42These programs are all designed to address homelessness in targeted ways in our community.
64. 1:00:48The next priority area is housing affordability at $6.6 million.
65. 1:00:53This item focuses on the housing trust fund.
66. 1:00:55And with this one-time $6.6 million allocation to the trust, the trust will overall reach $15 million in total funding.
67. 1:01:03Now within this funding, there is $2 million designated for affordable housing fee waivers, and then $1 million designated for pre-approved housing plans.
68. 1:01:13The next priority area is planning and development customer service enhancements at $1.5 million.
69. 1:01:19This one-time allocation will make improvements to the customer experience inside Phoenix City Hall, as well as supporting other customer service and process improvement initiatives.
70. 1:01:31The City Manager's proposed budget also includes funding for employee compensation, helping the City to remain competitive in the labor market.
71. 1:01:38$50 million is the amount needed for the first year of the new labor agreements which were approved by Council on May 6th.
72. 1:01:45The budget also sets aside $75 million to help ensure that our fiscal year 27-28 budget remains balanced, reflecting the Mayor and Council's continued concern for sound financial planning.
73. 1:01:57The proposed budget also includes position conversions totaling just under 70 FTEs.
74. 1:02:04These conversions use existing department resources, so they require no additional funds, and they include positions in the Fire Special Hazards Unit and the Law Department where litigation is being brought in-house.
75. 1:02:16Finally, the budget includes a non-general fund addition in aviation of $1.2 million and eight FTEs, which are being added to address several areas including international airline support, capital project management, and water quality monitoring.
76. 1:02:31And now I'll pass the presentation over to our Office of Heat Response and Mitigation Director, Dr. David Hondula.

1. 1:02:38Thank you, Erin, and good afternoon, Mayor and Council.
2. 1:02:41Pleasure to be here with you.
3. 1:02:42As my colleagues alluded to, we heard the community's interest and enthusiasm to keep pushing forward on our citywide tree and shade initiatives through the budget hearing process and other budget feedback dialogue.
4. 1:02:56And I wanted to take a few moments to highlight for our residents and for you, Mayor and Council, where we are.
5. 1:03:02And I think it's fair to say that you have placed us on an unbelievably positive trajectory for tree and shade work over the past few years.
6. 1:03:09That work is anchored by the Shade Phoenix Plan that you unanimously passed in November 2024.
7. 1:03:17That plan outlines 36 specific actions for city departments and external partners to take over a five year time period that are backed by $60 million in investment that you have allocated to these efforts.
8. 1:03:31And those allocations are through not just the general fund, but also the capital improvement program, the general obligation bond, and a number of grants that the city has been fortunate to earn.
9. 1:03:41We shared progress for the first year of the Shade Phoenix Plan work at a subcommittee meeting last year.
10. 1:03:46And just to share a couple of highlights, our team found that meaningful progress had been made on all 36 actions in the Shade Phoenix Plan in the first year after its adoption.
11. 1:03:57And that included some real highlights, some real milestones, including more than 7,000 trees planted citywide.
12. 1:04:04That's the highest number that I've seen since the heat office has existed over a four-year time period.
13. 1:04:08155 shade structures added to the community as well, including 81 at public bus stops and many, many more actions that are described in that progress report we shared with the subcommittee.
14. 1:04:20And for some more recent highlights, this fiscal year, of course, is still a work in progress, but just a couple of highlights that we know so far.
15. 1:04:28Seven schools have worked with us, ASU, Watershed Management Group, and EcoRise with our Canopy for Kids program that's part of the Inflation Reduction Act funded urban and community forestry grant.
16. 1:04:40That's added 224 trees, but arguably more importantly, engaged with hundreds, thousands of students and teachers providing education about the importance of urban forestry, stormwater management, and landscape design.
17. 1:04:56Council members, we've seen many of you out at some of the tree planting celebrations for the community canopy program that has also been funded by the Inflation Reduction Act.
18. 1:05:05More than 2,000 trees are in the ground just over the past year through this program and more than 1,200 individual residences throughout the city.
19. 1:05:13and we're also really proud of the Tree Stewards Program that came to life through the Inflation Reduction Act where we now have 10 hired and trained community leaders who are supporting urban and community forestry efforts in the community.
20. 1:05:25They themselves have planted an additional 180 trees this year in partnership with the Arizona Sustainability Alliance.
21. 1:05:32Now happy to turn the presentation over to my colleague Marty Whitfield for even more.

1. 1:09:10Thank you so in addition to the funding that the parks director Martin just mentioned we are looking to add additional staff one full-time FTE as well as part-time staff for youth mentoring program and really this program is for youth the ages of 12 to 24 really integrating accountability plans culturally responsive skill building family engagement and community partnerships
2. 1:09:35The most important thing is we want to educate and empower our youth to take accountability and strengthen Phoenix communities through culturally responsive and trauma-informed practices.
3. 1:09:47So in addition to this exciting time of the youth development and mentoring programs that were just mentioned, the Youth and Education Office leads citywide efforts to strengthen literacy, expand early learning, and elevate youth leadership.
4. 1:10:03and we have four core areas and first is our educationist initiative read on phoenix is really our center of the work that we do it's a public private partnership really focused on improving grade level reading through school readiness family engagement and high quality out of school enrichment
5. 1:10:21the other four areas that we focus on are our early literacy and school readiness where we implement several evidence-based initiatives that help children build strong early literacy skills such as our literacy hubs which are very excited to expand in parks our experience core tutoring program and our phoenix families first resource centers the second is our youth leadership and civic engagement area which is really important to amplify youth voice and leadership
6. 1:10:50such as our outstanding Phoenix youth leadership program as well as our future leader town halls next core areas are education and community partnership which really strengthen the connection between schools businesses and the community we coordinate partner with the principal and educator appreciation week that really creates partnerships that help the students and the community
7. 1:11:14and last is our special events and programs that really celebrate learning creative voice even civic engagement and that's our students day at city hall as well as our phoenix history month art contest but most importantly that we're proud of the outcomes that we produce every year we have about a million dollars in grant funding for literacy support we give over 10 000 books for families and students
8. 1:11:39we serve 5,000 families annually and over 100 business partnerships that develop each year so the results reflected is really true on the collaboration the commitment not only that you made within this budget but also to the community and the young people in Phoenix but most importantly the newest youth development and mentoring program will only add another additional element to the youth indication office and I'll hand this back over to budget research with Erin

1. 1:12:08All right, thank you all.
2. 1:12:10Mayor, members of council, next steps in the budget process.
3. 1:12:14Today's meeting is for action.
4. 1:12:15This is the first vote on the budget of three scheduled votes.
5. 1:12:19We'll come back on June 3rd at the formal meeting for the tentative adoption of the budget.
6. 1:12:24and then we'll return on June 17th's formal meeting for the final adoption of the budget.
7. 1:12:29That will be the third and final vote on the budget adoption process.
8. 1:12:33And then finally, the property tax levy adoption is scheduled for the July 1st formal meeting.
9. 1:12:38And with that, I'll conclude my presentation and would be happy to answer any questions.

1. 1:13:05Unless... Is it on?
2. 1:13:13Okay, good afternoon mayor and council members.
3. 1:13:17My name is Barbie Prinster.
4. 1:13:18I'm wearing two hats today.
5. 1:13:19I am first representing the Arizona Early Childhood Education Association.
6. 1:13:24I am the executive director.
7. 1:13:26We are a trade association and represent private licensed child care centers across Arizona.
8. 1:13:31I'm also the co-chair of the Arizona Early Childhood Alliance.
9. 1:13:37We have lots of acronyms in early childhood, I apologize.
10. 1:13:42I'm here today to ask you to protect the proposed $5 million investment for child care in the final city of Phoenix budget.
11. 1:13:50For families across Phoenix, child care is one of the largest monthly expenses they face, often rivaling rent or mortgage.
12. 1:13:58Thank you for joining us.
13. 1:14:13Childcare operates like a teeter-totter.
14. 1:14:16Programs want to pay teachers wages they deserve so we can retain a strong workforce, but when costs rise, parents are the ones who end up carrying the burden.
15. 1:14:27Families simply cannot absorb anymore.
16. 1:14:31This is not just a child care issue, this is a workforce issue, an economic issue, and a community issue.
17. 1:14:37When parents cannot afford care, they miss work, reduce hours, or leave the workforce entirely.
18. 1:14:43Businesses feel it, families feel it, our entire community feels it.
19. 1:14:48I appreciate that the City of Phoenix is recognizing this challenge by exploring options to help bring down the cost of child care for Phoenix families.
20. 1:14:56This is a forward-thinking investment for working families.
21. 1:15:00Thank you so much.
22. 1:15:01Thank you.
23. 1:15:05Lee is next, followed by Elizabeth Lenderos.

1. 1:15:33Good afternoon.
2. 1:15:34My name is Lee Marino.
3. 1:15:35This is my son Everett.
4. 1:15:36He's six weeks old.
5. 1:15:38We are residents of District 4 here in strong support of the proposed $5 million investment for childcare and just wanted to thank you for the proposition and put a human face and some real numbers to the childcare crisis in Arizona.
6. 1:15:50As I'm sure a lot of city employees are well aware, there is one daycare in downtown Phoenix
7. 1:15:56My husband and I live and work in downtown Phoenix, and for our first son, who's two years old, I got on the wait list for that daycare when I was 12 weeks pregnant, so he could enroll when he was six months old.
8. 1:16:05So that was one full calendar year on the wait list.
9. 1:16:08And once this little guy enrolls in October, we've been very happy there, but the price tag for that will be about $45,000 a year for both of our children.
10. 1:16:17This is not a luxury childcare, it's not a nanny, it's not a concierge experience.
11. 1:16:22It's been wonderful, but that number really makes it
12. 1:16:26makes you realize how hard it is for a lot of families to swing that for us it's worth it in the long term
13. 1:16:32but a lot of people really just can't make that work and so I thank you guys for bringing this proposition.
14. 1:16:37Phoenix has been so wonderful and forward thinking about building us a strong economy, attracting businesses that are going to need workers in the next 20 years and I think this is a really important investment to make sure that especially women can participate meaningfully in the workforce and not have to make these really hard decisions with very real large price tags attached to them.
15. 1:16:57Thank you.

1. 1:17:17Good afternoon.
2. 1:17:17My name is Elizabeth Landeros.
3. 1:17:19I'm a Phoenix mother of two young children, a Head Start parent leader, and an early childhood advocate.
4. 1:17:24I'm here today to strongly support protecting the $5 million ongoing investment in childcare.
5. 1:17:30Childcare is not a luxury, it's an infrastructure.
6. 1:17:33For working families, childcare determines whether a parent can keep their job, accept a promotion, finish school, or even show up consistently.
7. 1:17:41That affects not only families, but employers and our entire local economy.
8. 1:17:46But this is not just about economics.
9. 1:17:49High-quality early education shapes brain development during the most critical years of life.
10. 1:17:54It impacts school readiness, emotional regulation, long-term academic outcomes, even future workforce participation.
11. 1:18:01When we invest in early childhood, we are investing in safer communities, stronger schools, and a more resilient city.
12. 1:18:10The proposed 5 million set aside is a mindful step forward.
13. 1:18:14It acknowledges that child care is a real financial challenge for Phoenix families.
14. 1:18:19I urge you not to only protect the investment, but to ensure it is used to expand access, reduce costs for working families, and support providers who are already stretched thin.
15. 1:18:29Phoenix has the opportunity to lead locally in a way that supports families immediately.
16. 1:18:33When you invest in childcare, you invest in stability, opportunity, and the future workforce of the city.
17. 1:18:40Please protect the $5 million childcare investment in the final budget.
18. 1:18:44Thank you.

1. 1:18:56Good afternoon.
2. 1:18:57My name is Taylor.
3. 1:18:58My husband and I have a 16-month-old daughter, and we've been Phoenix residents for seven years.
4. 1:19:04In 2024, after going through IVF, we found out I was pregnant, and as two working parents, we began planning for what child care was going to look like when I returned from my maternity leave.
5. 1:19:15After having spent thousands of dollars to conceive our daughter, we were astounded that the cost of full-time daycare in Phoenix would likely cost as much as our monthly mortgage payment or my entire paycheck.
6. 1:19:28Lucky for us, my husband works for a large healthcare organization in the Valley which offers just one single location for daycare at a lower rate for its employees.
7. 1:19:38Unlucky for us, it came with a very long wait list.
8. 1:19:41So at seven months pregnant, we added our names to that list in the hopes that she would be able to join a class by nine months old.
9. 1:19:49Unwilling to strap ourselves financially by choosing a more expensive daycare with immediate availability, we relied on our family and a hybrid work schedule to help care for our daughter for those 10 months after my maternity leave ended.
10. 1:20:02This is a luxury that we acknowledge and know that most people are not afforded this.
11. 1:20:08and while we may have saved money during this 10 months the constant rearranging of care schedules and moving target of a daycare start date caused significant stress on us as new parents.
12. 1:20:18Our daughter finally made it off the waitlist at 13 months old and even now she's only able to attend three days a week and it takes us nearly an hour each day commuting round trip to get her there.
13. 1:20:30Having affordable childcare even closer to our home would have made my transition back to work even smoother, our family routines more stable, and our stress significantly reduced.
14. 1:20:41Families should not have to choose between financial stability, career growth, and reliable care for their children.
15. 1:20:47Accessible and affordable childcare is not a luxury.
16. 1:20:51It is essential for working families in Phoenix to thrive.
17. 1:20:55Thank you.

1. 1:21:03Hola, buenas tardes.
2. 1:21:04Mi nombre es Maria y yo estoy aquí para exigir a la ciudad de Phoenix que debe aumentar la partida de servicio al cliente para fondos de alivio en crisis de 6.5 millones de dólares y ampliar el acceso a todos los residentes de Phoenix.
3. 1:21:23Porque las familias inmigrantes especialmente necesitan apoyo de vivienda, alimentos y otras necesidades mientras se defienden en corte de inmigración durante la detención.
4. 1:21:36La ciudad está diciendo que no puede encontrar 3 millones de dólares adicionales para fondos de alivio de crisis.
5. 1:21:43En este momento que nuestra gente está bajo ataques sin precedentes por parte del gobierno federal.
6. 1:21:52Good afternoon, my name is Maria and I am here to demand the city of Phoenix

Spoken in Spanish, transcribed as said

Some lines may be an automatic translation of Spanish speech, not the speaker's own words

1. 1:22:18To increase the amount of customer service funds for relief circumstances of six point million dollars.
2. 1:22:34and expand the access to all the residents of Phoenix because the families, the immigrant families, especially need the support for housing, food and other needs while they are working through the court system, immigration, immigration court system while they are detained.
3. 1:23:04The city says that they don't have the funds or the $3 million to support these additional funds for crisis relief.
4. 1:23:17But at this time, especially during this time where our people are under attack in unprecedented ways by the federal government,
5. 1:23:32but the city somehow does find the funds to increase the budget for police funding of $59 million.
6. 1:23:44Thank you.

1. 1:23:54Buenas tardes, mi nombre es Yolanda.
2. 1:23:58Vengo a compartir un poco de mi historia.
3. 1:24:00Mi familia ha sido impactada por la policía.
4. 1:24:03Mi hijo fue detenido por una parada de tráfico, la cual lo llevó a ser arrestado y terminar en la Cuarta Avenida y ser procesado para terminar...
5. 1:24:14Thank you.

Spoken in Spanish, transcribed as said

Some lines may be an automatic translation of Spanish speech, not the speaker's own words

1. 1:24:42Good afternoon.
2. 1:24:43My name is Yolanda.
3. 1:24:45And I'm here to share a little bit about my story.
4. 1:24:48My family has been impacted by the police.
5. 1:24:52My son was detained for during a traffic stop.
6. 1:24:58which led him to be arrested and ended up at Fourth Avenue and was processed to end up in the hands of immigration.
7. 1:25:07And then after that, there was a deportation.
8. 1:25:10So that is why I'm here to raise my voice because it is true that the police is not here to keep people safe.
9. 1:25:20and that's why I'm asking to utilize the rest of the monies to be complemented with the $6.5 million that are needed, that we need at this time, crisis times.
10. 1:25:36Thank you.

1. 1:25:46Good afternoon, council members.
2. 1:25:48I am a resident of District 4.
3. 1:25:49I grew up in District 2, and I lived most of my adult life in District 3.
4. 1:25:54As a first-generation immigrant from a working-class family, I'm here to thank the City Council offices and City staff that supported the doubling of the Crisis Relief Fund.
5. 1:26:02However, as much as I wish this was enough with how dire the world is right now, Phoenix families need more.
6. 1:26:07I'm asking that the city increase this line item to $6.5 million and that the city expand access to all Phoenix residents so that everyone can access flexible financial assistance, refugee crisis support, housing, and food.
7. 1:26:21This funding must be self-granted to trusted and culturally competent providers already embedded in the community, and an implementation committee made up of providers and community members must be created to ensure effective distribution of these funds.
8. 1:26:35I also see that the trial budget has designated $500,000 to teen prevention.
9. 1:26:39I support this investment and want to ask that we please ensure that it stays in the budget.
10. 1:26:44Additionally, if we're serious about helping our youth thrive, we need to see at least $1.5 million invested.
11. 1:26:50Lastly, I also ask that you support right to counsel.
12. 1:26:53The city should pass an ordinance to guarantee the right to an attorney for people facing eviction.
13. 1:26:58This has been a community demand for the last three years, and now more than ever is incredibly crucial.
14. 1:27:03If we truly want to lower the amount of people on the streets, we need to invest in solutions to help people from ending up on the streets to begin with.
15. 1:27:10There are things like right to counsel, increasing the youth prevention budget to 1.5 million, and increasing the client services line item for crisis relief funds to 6.5 million.
16. 1:27:20I ask that the council do everything they can to ensure that all Phoenix residents thrive.
17. 1:27:25Thank you

1. 1:27:36Thank you for the opportunity to speak today.
2. 1:27:38I'm speaking in support of the $5 million set aside for child care for residents of Phoenix.
3. 1:27:48Child care is essential to the workforce of the city of Phoenix.
4. 1:27:55It's essential infrastructure for parents who need to work or even go back to school so that they can advance professionally and get better paying jobs and be able to better support their children.
5. 1:28:06When you don't have adequate resources for childcare, people have to drop out of the workforce or significantly reduce their work hours.
6. 1:28:16That's very hard on families, especially since many low-income part-time jobs have very irregular work hours, and that makes it difficult to arrange even partial part-time childcare.
7. 1:28:31So this is a significant financial challenge for families.
8. 1:28:36And we always think of infrastructure as being physical objects, roads and bridges and things like that.
9. 1:28:44But this is an important part of the infrastructure for the city of Phoenix.
10. 1:28:51We need women to stay in the workforce.
11. 1:28:53We need families to be able to provide for their children and affordable child care is an essential part of that.
12. 1:29:01Thank you very much.

1. 1:29:19Elizabeth Venable, Fund for Empowerment.
2. 1:29:24So I want to thank you for the allocation of the general fund.
3. 1:29:31I think it's pretty substantive for the homeless shelters.
4. 1:29:35I think it's a historic kind of allocation.
5. 1:29:39in light of the fact that prior to about four years ago, you weren't seeing these expenditures come out of the general fund.
6. 1:29:48And it really shows a commitment, I think, from the city of Phoenix to address this issue in a way that I haven't seen in a long time.
7. 1:29:57And so I appreciate that.
8. 1:30:01Always there need to be improvements in everything we do.
9. 1:30:09and one of the things that we've been talking about a lot is the safe outdoor space and people have noticed that there have started to be some improvements at the safe outdoor space they're not totally completed yet but to address the ADA issues and some of the restroom issues and possibly like that
10. 1:30:39I think that though it's a pretty brutal environment and once you get past a certain temperature of at about 108 your brain starts cooking and then like 103 your vital organs start cooking and just because you're under an awning it doesn't make it less hot
11. 1:31:07I would say that that's the most the issue of most concern to me personally about the homelessness services is just any way you can ameliorate that heat I don't think you should close that facility but because there's no other alternative but anything you're going to do.

1. 1:31:34Gracias.
2. 1:31:35Hola, buenas tardes, miembros del concilio y comunidad.
3. 1:31:40Mi nombre es Estela y vivo en el distrito 5 y el día de hoy estoy aquí para que la ciudad de Phoenix vote aumentar la partida de servicio al cliente para fondos de alivio de familias trabajadoras en crisis a 6.5 millones de dólares y dar acceso a todos los residentes de Phoenix sin importar su estatus legal.
4. 1:32:03Permitiendo que quienes se vean afectados por estas políticas accedan a asistencia financiera, flexible, apoyo en crisis para refugiados, viviendas y alimentos.
5. 1:32:14Ya que bajo esta administración estamos sufriendo una violencia masiva por parte de ICE, separando familias y dejando a las familias sin el proveedor de su hogar.
6. 1:32:23Dejando niños con miedo, ya que no saben qué espera de su futuro, en el cual el futuro de ellos debería de ser un futuro libre, feliz y seguro.
7. 1:32:33Las familias inmigrantes especialmente necesitan apoyo con viviendas, alimentos y otras necesidades básicas mientras defienden a sus familiares que solo han venido a forjar un mejor futuro para sus hijos y hoy están peleando en una corte de inmigración pidiendo una oportunidad aunque no tengan un récord criminal.
8. 1:32:51Para seguir cumpliendo su sueño para su familia.
9. 1:32:55Apreciamos la manera en la que la ciudad ha escuchado y trabajado con la comunidad en el proceso para lograr esta victoria.
10. 1:33:02Esperamos seguir viendo más de esto.
11. 1:33:05Aunque la ciudad está diciendo que no puede encontrar 3 millones de dólares adicionales para fondos de alivio en crisis en un momento en que nuestra gente está bajo ataque sin precedentes por parte del gobierno federal.
12. 1:33:18Thank you.

Spoken in Spanish, transcribed as said

Some lines may be an automatic translation of Spanish speech, not the speaker's own words

1. 1:33:46Thank you.
2. 1:33:48My name, good afternoon, my name, members of the council and of the community, my name is Estella and I live in District 5.
3. 1:33:58And today I am here so that the City of Phoenix can vote to increase the customer service allocation for crisis, for working families and crisis relief fund.
4. 1:34:14to $6.5 million to be allocated to the residents of Phoenix without not taking into account their, or in spite of their immigration status.
5. 1:34:32And allowing that those that are being affected by these policies can receive the services that they need.
6. 1:34:42and that there be flexibility to provide them the support that they need while in crisis.
7. 1:34:51And for those that are refugees, for those that are needing housing services, because now that we are under the attack of this administration, we are being attacked by ICE.
8. 1:35:10and our families are being separated and leaving them without their main provider for their home and leaving a lot of children in fear because they don't know what to expect of their future because their future should be free and happy and secure.
9. 1:35:33The immigration families especially need housing services and other basic needs while they try to defend their families that only came here to provide a better future for their children and now are fighting, I find themselves fighting in an immigration court asking for an opportunity even though they don't have any criminal records.
10. 1:36:04in order for them to be able to realize their dreams for their family.
11. 1:36:09And we appreciate the way that the city has been willing to listen to us and work with the community during this process in order to be able to have this victory.
12. 1:36:19But we continue to wait more to come out of this, even though the city is saying that they...
13. 1:36:28can't find $3 million additional funds for crisis relief in a moment when our families are under attack during these unprecedented times by our federal government.
14. 1:36:48But the city can find the funds, however, to increase the budget for the police of $59 million.
15. 1:36:57Do you think that you should reconsider the needs of the community and use 6.5 or allocate $6.5 million for resources and necessities of our community because we want to have prosperous communities and safe communities?
16. 1:37:21Thank you.

1. 1:37:47Hi, I'm Stuart Tanner.
2. 1:37:48Good afternoon, everyone.
3. 1:37:52I want to say that me as a senior citizen disabled, except from low vision and some other things, I don't even know where to start.
4. 1:38:07Okay, let me start with this.
5. 1:38:12I was in a position to where I was trying to use the resources that they have out here.
6. 1:38:16I'm not too sure exactly what they have.
7. 1:38:20I've kind of ran into some dead ends, just feeling as if I was victimized by some of the establishments that were set up.
8. 1:38:29Basically, put it this way, I just now finally got another ID in the mail today, and I'm replacing steadily phones and everything.
9. 1:38:39It's kind of difficult.
10. 1:38:40I just got finished paying a week in a hotel, and on my limited budget, I'm not able to afford that type of stuff.
11. 1:38:49The privilege that I did have, I imagine it was two or three weeks ago, sitting in on one of the meetings, they were speaking about...
12. 1:38:56A lot of affordable housing that was set up for the seniors.
13. 1:39:04It's in that nature.
14. 1:39:05I was just wondering if there was a list of these things, if I could get a list of these things because I don't have any of it.
15. 1:39:14They're not giving this, it was not giving me, myself, as a senior citizen disabled,
16. 1:39:22Mel, you know, I can't seem to get these resources other than cats referring themselves to cats.
17. 1:39:32And so that's the part that I'm kind of running into and I'm tired of being victimized and I'm too old to be out there fighting crime.
18. 1:39:40You know, it's kind of crazy, but that's kind of like what it seems like.
19. 1:39:44So I was just wondering if anyone has a list.
20. 1:39:49Thank you very much.
21. 1:39:50All right.

1. 1:40:13Hi, council.
2. 1:40:14Hi, community members.
3. 1:40:15My name is Michelle.
4. 1:40:16I live in District 5.
5. 1:40:17And I am here with Poder in Action today.
6. 1:40:20And I am here to ask the council to do what's right and provide financial relief to impacted families, your constituents, by increasing the line item to $6.5 million.
7. 1:40:33I've been a community organizer for the past 12 years.
8. 1:40:37I've been a witness to the pain of families impacted by police violence.
9. 1:40:42to the pain of black mothers, to the pain of undocumented families being separated.
10. 1:40:47I've seen the trauma of undocumented children when their parents are taken away.
11. 1:40:53So I've seen a lot.
12. 1:40:55But I've also seen community-led initiatives.
13. 1:40:59And that's what we're asking of you today.
14. 1:41:02One thing that I want to share is that other cities are already looking into shifting funds from police to community initiatives.
15. 1:41:14And one of those initiatives that I've seen is safety buses.
16. 1:41:19There's also crisis lines that are led by communities and that provide communities with services and referrals without police intervention.
17. 1:41:29and what the studies show is that community trust people that look like them, community trust people, leaders in their communities that are able to provide them with the solutions as well as organizations which you have a room full of leaders here that can provide you with ideas and solutions.
18. 1:41:49So yeah we're asking you to put people first to increase the budget and we have an opportunity to dream big and execute even bigger to ensure a just future for your constituents who are already facing so much and the decision is in your hands if you want to see a thriving community or if you want to build a police state.
19. 1:42:11Thank you.

1. 1:42:28Hello, council members.
2. 1:42:30My name is Beverly Solis.
3. 1:42:31I live in District 6.
4. 1:42:33I want to first thank the city council members, their offices, city staff, and community members that have successfully supported the more than $3 million increase to the client services line item for crisis relief.
5. 1:42:47While that increase helps, it is still not enough to hedge against the rising cost in food, housing, child care, health care, energy, and fuel.
6. 1:42:57Under the Trump administration, Phoenix residents have also seen their SNAP benefits revoked.
7. 1:43:04Nearly 192,000 children in Arizona have lost access to benefits.
8. 1:43:10A large portion of those children live here in Phoenix.
9. 1:43:15The City of Phoenix has the opportunity to support our community by providing financial relief for working families impacted by recent federal policy changes.
10. 1:43:23I am requesting the City increase the client services line item for crisis relief to 6.5 million dollars.
11. 1:43:31I am also requesting the City increase the pilot youth programs from 500,000 to 1.5 million.
12. 1:43:39Our city should prioritize supporting the health, safety, and success of our youth and our budget should reflect those priorities.
13. 1:43:47In addition, please ensure access to the funds expand to all Phoenix residents.
14. 1:43:53I am also requesting the city subgrant these funds to trusted community organizations that are already resourced and trained to work with our local communities.
15. 1:44:04As impactful as these additional funds will be on our communities, the requested increase is dismal by comparison to the proposed police budget for the 2026-2027 year.
16. 1:44:17The proposed Phoenix police budget increase is 300 times what I am requesting to be added to the client services line item for crisis relief funds.
17. 1:44:26If the city was able to budget a $59 million increase for Phoenix police, totaling over $1 billion, I know we should and we can invest more in programs that deliver immediate positive results for working families and residents, most impacted by rising costs.

1. 1:44:44I appreciate your time.

1. 1:44:58And Laura Rodriguez.
2. 1:45:02Good afternoon Councilman, the panel.
3. 1:45:05I appreciate again you folks being here to hear us.
4. 1:45:09It's very important that you listen and these meetings help us know that you're listening.
5. 1:45:15I represent Funds for Empowerment.
6. 1:45:17I also am a resident at the SOS camp.
7. 1:45:22I wanted to talk to you about this heat that we have.
8. 1:45:26The other day a lady had to move in the back because it was 126 degrees inside of her tent with her 19-year-old dog.
9. 1:45:37We don't have adequate cooling there.
10. 1:45:41We have the fountains, yes.
11. 1:45:44We appreciate the new fountain that you did put in for us.
12. 1:45:48While the other one has a red indicator on it that's still red.
13. 1:45:53I would like to see if maybe it's possible to put in some misters.
14. 1:45:59I know it's a lot because of just the keeping up of it, but those misters would help our animals stay a lot cooler.
15. 1:46:12I have a cat who sweats profusely and I try to keep him, I pour water on him
16. 1:46:20Thank you for joining us.
17. 1:46:31you know in the day room it gets so full there's not enough room for 250 tents worth plus animals you can imagine dogs and cats in a day room together it's very loud it's very it's very sticky and tight quarters so I would like to see if maybe it would be something that we can put in the budget to have misters
18. 1:46:56Maybe it's more water.
19. 1:46:58I don't know.
20. 1:46:59But I just wanted to say thank you again for having us and for hearing us.
21. 1:47:04Thank you.

1. 1:47:16Hola, buenas tardes.
2. 1:47:17Mi nombre es Laura Rodriguez.
3. 1:47:19Gracias a todos los miembros del concilio.
4. 1:47:22Les agradecemos por su trabajo junto a la comunidad y puedan escuchar nuestras preocupaciones.
5. 1:47:29Soy residente de Phoenix por más de 30 años.
6. 1:47:33Vivo en el Distrito 4.
7. 1:47:34Pido el aumento de servicio al cliente para finalmente tener un total de 6.5 millones de dólares de ayuda para familias afectadas y que están en crisis.
8. 1:47:45for this new administration.
9. 1:47:47My comment is that I don't think it's necessary to invest the amount of 59 million to the police department when our community has many more needs that are an emergency priority.
10. 1:48:02I ask for reflection on the numbers and understanding for the
11. 1:48:07Thank you.

Spoken in Spanish, transcribed as said

Some lines may be an automatic translation of Spanish speech, not the speaker's own words

1. 1:48:35Hello, good afternoon.
2. 1:48:36My name is Laura Rodriguez and thank you to all the members of the council.
3. 1:48:42We are thankful for all your work towards the community and for listening to all our concerns.
4. 1:48:49I am a resident of Phoenix.
5. 1:48:50I've been here for 30 years and I live in District 4.
6. 1:48:55So I'm asking for the increase of customer service for
7. 1:49:00So that we can finally have the $6.5 million of help for families that are in crisis.
8. 1:49:14Due to this new administration and my comment is that I don't think it's necessary to invest the amount of 59 million dollars to the police department when in our community there's a lot of a lot more needs that are priority and our emergency
9. 1:49:37So I'm asking you to reflect on these numbers and understanding towards your attention, more comprehensive attention to the finances and consider them.
10. 1:49:59because we are putting them in your hands.
11. 1:50:03We are putting our needs in your hands and you have the opportunity to make that change so that we can have as a community a safe community.
12. 1:50:15Thank you.

1. 1:50:26Hola, buenas tardes miembros del concilio.
2. 1:50:28Mi nombre es Juana.
3. 1:50:30Bueno, yo estoy aquí una primero para agradecer que después de tanta lucha que hemos dado, han puesto atención a las necesidades de nuestras comunidades.
4. 1:50:40Y sé que han puesto un presupuesto de más de tres millones para los fondos que se están pidiendo para la ayuda en crisis de las familias que estamos pasando.
5. 1:50:49Es por eso que estamos pidiendo que aporten el resto del dinero para llegar a un total de servicio al cliente de 6.5 millones para las crisis que están pasando las familias con estas políticas de la administración Trump.
6. 1:51:03Les han quitado servicios de comida y seguros médicos.
7. 1:51:06Por eso pido que aporten ese resto a total de 6.5 millones de dólares y que las familias puedan acceder a estos servicios sin ningún problema.
8. 1:51:15Porque hay muchas familias tratando de sobrellevar sus gastos mientras pelean en cortes de migración y no saben qué hacer para solvertar esos gastos de servicios básicos como agua, luz, comida.
9. 1:51:28Y doctor, porque se les ha quitado también a muchas familias esos servicios.
10. 1:51:33Es todo, gracias.

Spoken in Spanish, transcribed as said

Some lines may be an automatic translation of Spanish speech, not the speaker's own words

1. 1:51:42Hello good afternoon members of the council my name is Juana and I am here first of all to thank you after so much struggle that we've been through that you've finally listened to the needs of our communities and I know that you've allocated a budget of
2. 1:52:05Thank you so much.
3. 1:52:23and allocate this funds to the customer service of increase it by 6.5 million dollars for crisis relief funds that the families that are being affected by the administration Trump.
4. 1:52:43They have lost their services, their food services, and a lot of these families have also lost their medical services.
5. 1:52:52And that's why I'm asking you to allocate a total of $6.5 million and
6. 1:53:00so that these families can have access to these services without any problems because there's a lot of families that are trying to come up with ways to be able to pay for their basic needs while they are fighting in immigration courts for their cases and they don't know how to come up with the monies to be able to pay for all their basic
7. 1:53:26Berta, followed by Eric Richardson

1. 1:53:53Hola, buenas tardes, concejales.
2. 1:53:56Mi nombre es Berta Rita.
3. 1:53:58Antes que nada, quiero decirles que hoy me siento feliz de estar aquí.
4. 1:54:04Este porque año tras año hemos estado aquí pidiendo que nuestro dinero se invierta en recursos que nos mantengan a salvo y seguros.
5. 1:54:14Y este año por fin fuimos escuchados.
6. 1:54:17Por eso quiero agradecerles a las personas que han escuchado nuestras voces y han ayudado a aumentar el fondo de alivio en crisis a más de tres millones.
7. 1:54:27Although we all know that this is not enough to support the thousands of families that are surviving all of these attacks.
8. 1:54:37Nuestra gente de la tercera edad y los niños se han quedado sin cobertura médica y sin apoyo para sus alimentos, aparte de enfrentar la violencia por parte de ICE.
9. 1:54:48Por eso les pido a todos los concejales que aporten el resto del presupuesto que falta para llegar a un total de 6.5 millones de servicio al cliente para fondos de alivio en crisis.
10. 1:55:02La policía no nos mantiene seguros.
11. 1:55:05Necesitamos que inviertan nuestro dinero en recursos para el pueblo, no más dinero al departamento de policía.
12. 1:55:13Nuestros hijos tienen derecho también a ser felices.
13. 1:55:16Gracias.

Spoken in Spanish, transcribed as said

Some lines may be an automatic translation of Spanish speech, not the speaker's own words

1. 1:55:25Hello, good afternoon council members.
2. 1:55:28My name is Berta Rita and before, first of all, I'd like to say that today I feel very happy, a lot of joy to be here because year after year we have been here asking for the money to be allocated and invested in resources that will keep us safe and secure.
3. 1:55:50And this year, finally, we feel we've been heard.
4. 1:55:53That is why I want to thank the people that have listened to our voices and have helped us increase the crisis relief fund to more than $3 million.
5. 1:56:07Even though we all know that this is not enough to support millions of families that are surviving all of these attacks, our people, our senior citizens, and our children have been left without medical care and without the support for their food.
6. 1:56:31and also on top of that have to put up with the violence from ICE.
7. 1:56:40And that is why I'm asking all the council members to allocate the rest of the funds that is needed to be able to have a total of 6.5 million dollars towards the customer service crisis relief fund.
8. 1:56:59The police is not keeping us safe.
9. 1:57:03We need our money to be allocated towards resources for the people.
10. 1:57:14No more money towards the police.
11. 1:57:17Our children have the right to also be happy.
12. 1:57:20Thank you.

1. 1:57:39Hi, my name is Eric Richardson, and I am representing Funds for Empowerment, and I'm also a resident at the SOS, at the SOS lot, the shelter, and basically I want to speak on, I mean, first I want to thank you all for actually considering, like, the homeless and the resources of
2. 1:58:04Thank you for joining us.
3. 1:58:29especially where I've stayed personally at the SOS lot again I mean I don't think it should be shut down or anything like that but it's definitely need to be some improvement especially as we deal with the summer heat basically and just period I mean I've stayed on the streets and everything and even with the heat reliefs we need more of them basically I mean even added an additional 24-hour heat relief center I mean there's one here downtown on Jackson
4. 1:58:58I think there should be another one here in the Phoenix area, basically.
5. 1:59:04I know that one's like CBI Rand and nothing against CBI, but maybe have another one that's 24-hour like that that's non-CBI, that's not affiliated with CBI or whatever like that, basically.
6. 1:59:19I mean, there's a lot of things I could say.
7. 1:59:20I just say you got the time.
8. 1:59:22But also, I wanted to include, too, that we do have a town hall meeting at the SOS lot.
9. 1:59:27I don't know if you're all aware of it or whatever, but if y'all can, possibly come, basically.
10. 1:59:34Maybe you'll hear more about what's going on at SOS.
11. 1:59:35All right, thank you.

1. 2:00:05Buenas tardes alcaldesa y miembros del consejo.
2. 2:00:08Mi nombre es Maria y soy mamá de un niño de tres años aquí en Phoenix.
3. 2:00:12I'm here today to ask you to protect the $5 million dedicated to child care in the final budget of Phoenix City.
4. 2:00:18For families like mine, child care is what makes everything else possible.
5. 2:00:25It's what allows us to maintain our jobs, go to school, and maintain stability in our homes.
6. 2:00:32When child care is too expensive or not available, parents are forced to make impossible decisions.
7. 2:00:41y los empleadores sienten el impacto a través de la falta de personal.
8. 2:00:46El cuidado infantil realmente es la infraestructura para la fuerza laboral.
9. 2:00:51Aprecio que el presupuesto propuesto reconozca lo alto que son los costos del cuidado infantil para que las familias de cine.
10. 2:01:02Esta inversión de 5 millones es una solución local importante que ayuda a reducir el costo y ampliar el acceso
11. 2:01:09Good afternoon.

Spoken in Spanish, transcribed as said

Some lines may be an automatic translation of Spanish speech, not the speaker's own words

1. 2:01:31Good afternoon mayor and members of the council.
2. 2:01:34My name is Maria and I am a mother of a three-year-old here in Phoenix and I am here to ask you to protect the five million that are designated for child care in this final budget of the city of Phoenix.
3. 2:01:53For families like mine
4. 2:01:56Childcare is what makes everything else possible.
5. 2:02:02And that is what allows us to be able to keep our jobs, go to work, and have stability in our homes.
6. 2:02:14Currently daycare is way too expensive.
7. 2:02:19and sometimes parents are obligated to make decisions that make things more difficult or impossible.
8. 2:02:30And then our employers are also impacted by this because there's not enough employees.
9. 2:02:42Daycare,
10. 2:02:45is a real infrastructure to help the work labor force.
11. 2:02:53And I appreciate that the budget is acknowledging how high the costs are for daycare that are affecting Phoenix families.
12. 2:03:08And these $5 million
13. 2:03:13are very important because they help us to reduce the costs related to this and give us the ability or accessibility to be able to use these services, especially for families like mine.
14. 2:03:30So please keep the $5 million designated towards daycare in the final budget.
15. 2:03:38Thank you.

1. 2:03:48Hola, buenas tardes, alcaldesa y miembros del consejo.
2. 2:03:52Mi nombre es Alma y soy mamá de tres niños.
3. 2:03:55Mis hijos tienen 10, 14 y 19 años.
4. 2:03:59Pero recuerdo claramente cuando los años eran, cuando ellos eran pequeños y mi familia luchaba por encontrar un balance entre conseguir cuidado infantil, accesible y trabajar.
5. 2:04:10I'm here today to ask you to protect the 5 million continuous children destined for child care in the final budget of the city of Phoenix.
6. 2:04:21Child care is essential for families like mine.
7. 2:04:25It allows parents to work, provide for our children, and build stability.
8. 2:04:31When child care is out of reach, families suffer, and our community suffers.
9. 2:04:37Thank you for watching.
10. 2:05:00Thank you.
11. 2:05:02Sulem, followed by Harrison Redmond.

Spoken in Spanish, transcribed as said

Some lines may be an automatic translation of Spanish speech, not the speaker's own words

1. 2:05:29Hello, good afternoon, mayor and members of the council.
2. 2:05:35My name is Alma, and I am
3. 2:05:41and I was a mother of three children.
4. 2:05:43My children are 10, 14 and 19.
5. 2:05:48And I remember very clearly in those years when they were much younger and my family would struggle to find a balance between daycare, finding daycare that would be accessible and going to work or that would be affordable and going to work.
6. 2:06:10I am asking you to protect these five million dollars that are ongoing destined to daycare in the final budget for the City of Phoenix.
7. 2:06:21Childcare is essential for families like mine.
8. 2:06:25It allows parents to work, to provide for their children, and be able to have stability or build stability.
9. 2:06:37When this is out of reach for the families at an economic level, the families suffer.
10. 2:06:46A community as a whole suffers.
11. 2:06:51because the parents are not able to meet their potential and the children are also not able to meet their potential.
12. 2:07:03So I'm very thankful that the budget is acknowledging how significant these costs for childcare are for families in the city of Phoenix.
13. 2:07:18This investment of the $5 million is a very important step to reduce those costs and provide or expand that accessibility.
14. 2:07:34And protecting this financing is a way to invest in the future of our children
15. 2:07:43In our workforce and our overall strength at long term for our city.
16. 2:07:51Respectfully, I ask you to maintain the $5 million destined to the daycare in the final budget.
17. 2:08:01Thank you.
18. 2:08:04Thank you.

1. 2:08:22Good afternoon Mayor Gallego, council members.
2. 2:08:24My name is Harrison Redmond speaking for myself as a civil rights advocate and Phoenix resident to urge this council to increase the client services crisis relief fund to $6.5 million.
3. 2:08:35Increasing this fund from $1.5 to $3 million is a real win and will have tangible benefits for so many Phoenicians.
4. 2:08:41The community members and council offices who fought for that win deserve credit.
5. 2:08:45However, any of us would be lying if we called it enough.
6. 2:08:48We are living through a moment where Arizonans are losing food assistance, more so than anywhere else in the country, losing health care, and living in genuine fear of ICE raids, kidnappings, and deportations.
7. 2:08:58I personally work with immigrant communities across Arizona.
8. 2:09:00I've seen what it looks like when a parent stops leaving their house because they're afraid of masked ICE thugs abducting them away from their kids.
9. 2:09:07I've seen what happens when a family can't pay rent because their SNAP benefits were cut, and they're too afraid to ask for help or have no idea whether it even exists.
10. 2:09:15These are not talking points or hollow arguments.
11. 2:09:17It is literally what's happening in Phoenix and across our state right now.
12. 2:09:20Furthermore, Phoenix's own budget language acknowledges that this fund exists to address exactly those harms of housing instability, food insecurity, and the economic fallout of devastating federal policy on our most vulnerable residents.
13. 2:09:31As we all heard, Phoenix is sitting on a projected surplus of over $162 million.
14. 2:09:36That number matters because it means the question before all of you today is not whether Phoenix can afford to fully fund crisis relief.
15. 2:09:43The question is whether this council will choose to do so.
16. 2:09:46The ask from community members, advocates, and others is clear.
17. 2:09:48$6.5 million for client services sub-granted to be distributed through trusted local organizations that are already embedded in the community's most at risk.
18. 2:09:57all of which can and should be done in tandem with an implementation committee to ensure transparency, accountability, and equitable distribution.
19. 2:10:05This is not a radical ask, but the council's answer determines whether this city believes as shown through its words and actions that all residents of Phoenix matter enough to protect.
20. 2:10:14All power to the people.
21. 2:10:15Thank you.

1. 2:10:28Hello, City of Phoenix Council Members.
2. 2:10:30My name is John Preston, and I'm an example of what happens when you lose your job in Phoenix and you become homeless.
3. 2:10:37I currently stay at the SOS Center over off West Jackson.
4. 2:10:40I do have some issues with the center.
5. 2:10:43Sanitation would be one of the primary ones with black mold in the showers.
6. 2:10:47We've had that on occasion where some individual that lives there has lost all the toes on one of his feet because of it.
7. 2:10:53The food situation is a little bit different than it used to be when I first got there.
8. 2:10:57We now receive on Saturdays and Sundays one four ounce milk, one one ounce box of cereal, and a banana, and a piece of bread.
9. 2:11:07So that's not much of a breakfast when you think about having to take in 2,200 calories a day.
10. 2:11:12It's less than 300 calories.
11. 2:11:14The situation there with the heat is not the greatest.
12. 2:11:20It would not be all that much to take visqueen and take it from the roof to the floor and put the coolers that are outside keeping the staff cool blowing into the tents to keep the residents cool so they're not so hot.
13. 2:11:32With the heat being the way it is in Phoenix, I'm sure you can understand that.
14. 2:11:37I just think some more needs to be done as far as making water available to those that live in the shelter.
15. 2:11:42When the city stores its water there for the cooling centers, and there's no water available for the residents other than two water fountains, which one of them has a filter that needs to be changed constantly that's never changed, hardly at all.

1. 2:11:54That's basically all I have to say.
2. 2:11:55Thank you.

1. 2:12:12Hi, my name is Clarissa Peterson.
2. 2:12:14I'm here for Fund for Empowerment.
3. 2:12:17And I am a resident at the SOS, Safe Outdoor Space.
4. 2:12:23And this is my first time being homeless.
5. 2:12:26And
6. 2:12:29It is hot out there in the tent and with the three-digit heat and I'm talking for the animals and us and I think they should put misters or air conditioners out there for us and more water and ice for us to have to keep us cool and talking for and
7. 2:13:00Changing the filters in the water fountains because sometimes the water is not good for us to drink to and they don't provide waters for anybody there and they say it's for the workers that work for the city.
8. 2:13:13And like a couple days ago we had a dog that died out there because it was hot.
9. 2:13:27and sometimes we usually have people that that's passing away out there too just because of the heat and you need to see it or hear it from either of us or do something about it and we have a town hall meeting tomorrow at 12 30 I think you guys should attend thank you

1. 2:13:55I apologize, Mayor.

1. 2:14:11Hola, buenas tardes alcaldesa y miembros del consejo.
2. 2:14:15Mi nombre es Zuley y soy mamá de una niña de un año y vivo aquí en Phoenix.
3. 2:14:21Estoy aquí hoy para pedirles que protejan los 5 millones destinados al cuidado infantil en el presupuesto final de la ciudad de Phoenix.
4. 2:14:33El cuidado infantil es una parte fundamental de la infraestructura económica de Phoenix.
5. 2:14:39Los padres no pueden trabajar ni avanzar en sus carreras sin acceso a cuidado infantil confiable y accesible.
6. 2:14:49Esta inversión apoya tanto a los padres trabajadores como a la fortaleza de nuestra economía local.
7. 2:14:57El presupuesto propuesto reconoce que los costos del cuidado infantil representan una carga financiera real para las familias.
8. 2:15:08Estos cinco millones le dan a Phoenix una manera práctica de reducir esos costos y mejorar el acceso al cuidado infantil desde ahora.
9. 2:15:20Phoenix tiene la oportunidad de ser líder con una solución inteligente y local que apoye una fuerza laboral más fuerte para el futuro.
10. 2:15:32Good afternoon, Mayor and members of the Council.

Spoken in Spanish, transcribed as said

Some lines may be an automatic translation of Spanish speech, not the speaker's own words

1. 2:15:53My name is Ule, and I am the mother of a one-year-old girl.
2. 2:15:59and I live here in Phoenix.
3. 2:16:01And I am here today to protect the $5 million destined to childcare and the final budget of the city of Phoenix.
4. 2:16:14Childcare is a very, it's a fundamental part of the economic infrastructure of Phoenix.
5. 2:16:25Parents can't work or get ahead in their careers without having access to child care that is reliable and accessible.
6. 2:16:38This investment is going to support working families and also going to strengthen our economy.
7. 2:16:53The proposed budget acknowledges that the costs of daycare represent a financial burden for families.
8. 2:17:08These $5 million give Phoenix a practical way to reduce those costs and improve the access to childcare starting now.
9. 2:17:19Phoenix has the opportunity to be a leader with an intelligent solution for their local people that is going to support the workforce and make it stronger for the future.
10. 2:17:36Please protect the $5 million destined and allocated to child care that will help working families like mine.
11. 2:17:48Thank you.

1. 2:18:03David Morgan, with Funds for Empowerment.
2. 2:18:06I also live at the SOS.
3. 2:18:09Hearing all this talk about child care, the need for funding, just blows me away.

1. 2:18:14It makes me feel like I got really old really fast.

1. 2:18:18Because back in my day, my dad supported our family.
2. 2:18:20My mom stayed at home and raised us kids.
3. 2:18:24So this is like really, really serious stuff that we've changed, such as a society that both people have to work in order to have a home.
4. 2:18:31And there's no one there to raise the kids.
5. 2:18:33I don't know how that works, but there you go.
6. 2:18:36My big complaint with the SOS right now isn't really with the SOS, it's with the Office of Homeless Solutions for not providing water and ice, more than anything, ice to the residents.
7. 2:18:48We get a bucket approximately two feet by three feet by about two and a half feet
8. 2:18:56Full of ice only once a day at 10 30 in the morning.
9. 2:19:00By 11 o'clock in the morning it is gone.
10. 2:19:03And that is the only ice they allocate on the yard.
11. 2:19:05Here's the problem with that.
12. 2:19:07There's three nearby circle caves.
13. 2:19:11Those three circle caves are inundated with the homeless getting ice.
14. 2:19:16They're not obligated to give us ice and we're destroying their machines.
15. 2:19:21I go in to get me a soda.
16. 2:19:23I can't get a soda because the soda fountains are down.
17. 2:19:25There's no ice.
18. 2:19:25There's no sodas because they're overworked.
19. 2:19:30We really need to address this.
20. 2:19:32The ice situation is out of control.
21. 2:19:35The inhumane treatment.
22. 2:19:37They brought in a ready ice, huge freezer, stacked it full of ice, put it in our day room where we have to look at it, locked it up and said, guess what?
23. 2:19:47That's for the heat relief centers.
24. 2:19:48You guys don't get none of that.
25. 2:19:50They brought in three, and this is no lie, I'm not going to swear because I want to be indignant or anything, but they're called big-ass fans.
26. 2:19:57They're outdoor swamp coolers.
27. 2:20:00They brought three of them, put one at the laundry area for the staff, one for the security, and one for the check-in gate.
28. 2:20:08We get none of it.

1. 2:20:17Buenas tardes miembros del consejo, alcaldesa, mi nombre es Lupe Mora y estoy aquí para pedirles que voten por esos 6.5 millones para nuestra comunidad que ya sabemos que se encuentra en crisis.
2. 2:20:34Es una crisis económica en la que por esta administración y redadas de hay están siendo afectadas y ya no pueden pagar sus rentas, biles, servicios médicos y cuidado de niños.
3. 2:20:49El cual tiene la oportunidad de ser una línea de defensa contra estos ataques al brindar alivio económico a las familias trabajadoras.
4. 2:21:01Muchas familias han sido separadas por ICE.
5. 2:21:05Por ese motivo tenemos niños deprimidos, jóvenes preocupados por sus padres y padres desesperados por no poder dar a cuidar a sus hijos, por no tener un trabajo,
6. 2:21:20Han cambiado sus vidas y se les están haciendo difíciles muchas de estas personas
7. 2:21:28Familias viviendo en las calles.
8. 2:21:30No todos los que viven en la calle son drogadictos.
9. 2:21:34Lo estamos viendo.
10. 2:21:35Hay muchas gentes trabajadoras viviendo en la calle.
11. 2:21:38Y están viviendo en la calle porque se quedaron sin un hogar, porque se quedaron sin un trabajo, porque ya no pudieron pagar.
12. 2:21:46Y son personas que también pagan impuestos como todos los que nos encontramos en este momento.
13. 2:21:52Por eso les pido que por favor apoyen esos 6.5 millones para estas familias que han sido afectadas.
14. 2:22:03Nosotros no necesitamos que le den más presupuesto a la policía, ya que muchas veces sus servicios no son tan necesarios como este que estamos viviendo nosotros con nuestra comunidad.
15. 2:22:16Nosotros como comunidad nos sentimos...
16. 2:22:21We feel responsible for them and that is why we are supporting them.
17. 2:22:25You, who have the power, must feel the responsibility to vote YES for this community.
18. 2:22:32Thank you.

Spoken in Spanish, transcribed as said

Some lines may be an automatic translation of Spanish speech, not the speaker's own words

1. 2:22:41Good afternoon, mayor, members of the council.
2. 2:22:45My name is Lupe Mora and I am here to ask you to vote for those $6.5 million to go for our community because we know that our community is in crisis.
3. 2:23:04It is a financial or economic crisis because of this current administration and the raids by ICE our families are being affected by.
4. 2:23:19And they're not able to pay their rents, their bills, their medical services, and childcare.
5. 2:23:26And the city has the opportunity to be a line of defense
6. 2:23:36Thank you for joining us today.
7. 2:23:54parents that are children that are worried for their parents and parents desperate to find ways to be able to provide for their children and their inability to be able to take care of them because they don't have a job
8. 2:24:15Their lives have changed and a lot of things are becoming more difficult for these people, for these families that are living on the streets.
9. 2:24:26Not everybody that lives in the streets are drug addicts.
10. 2:24:30We are seeing it.
11. 2:24:32There's a lot of working people that are living in the streets because they were left without a home.
12. 2:24:40because they were left without a job because they were no longer able to pay.
13. 2:24:47There are people that are also paying taxes just like all of us that are here today.
14. 2:24:53That is why I am asking you to please allocate those 6.5 million dollars for these families that have been affected.
15. 2:25:05we don't need for you to allocate more funds towards the police because a lot of times we find that a lot of their services are not as necessary or as high as what we are facing now in our community as a community we feel
16. 2:25:30responsible for them, and that is why we are supporting them.
17. 2:25:35And you, that you have the power, should feel the responsibility to give that yes vote for this community.
18. 2:25:43Thank you.

1. 2:26:17My name is Francisco Luna.
2. 2:26:19Good afternoon community, Phoenix residents, council members.
3. 2:26:23I'm here today in support and asking for the 6.5 million for communities.
4. 2:26:30Communities who have been impacted by ICE, by the cuts of SNAP benefits,
5. 2:26:37by housing costs rising up, by gas prices rising up, by the terror of Trump administration within our communities.
6. 2:26:48It is outstanding that 59 million could be found for the police department, but we cannot invest more for our communities.
7. 2:26:58And although we have over 3 million, our families deserve more.
8. 2:27:03Communities deserve more.
9. 2:27:06So although we're going to celebrate, we want more.
10. 2:27:11And we are here in support of the 6.5 million.
11. 2:27:14Thank you.

1. 2:27:25Good afternoon, Mayor and Council.
2. 2:27:27My name is Andrea Luna Cervantes.
3. 2:27:30I'm the campaign manager with Organized Power and Numbers.
4. 2:27:33And I'm here today because Phoenix families are struggling to survive growing economic instability and fear caused by the federal administration's policy and ongoing violence from ICE.
5. 2:27:44We've seen people lose SNAP benefits, health care, and watch loved ones be detained or deported.
6. 2:27:50Families are being pushed into impossible situations where they have to choose between rent, food, transportation, or caring for their children, as we've heard today.
7. 2:27:59I do want to thank city council offices and staff who have helped increase the client service line item for crisis relief funds to more than $3 million and invest in affordable housing programs and child care services.
8. 2:28:13This is a real victory and I'd like to also thank the community members who showed up to advocate at budget hearings throughout the city.
9. 2:28:20Organizing with your neighbors truly does work.
10. 2:28:23You will hear throughout and have heard that community members are asking for a flexible financial assistance life
11. 2:28:29to increase to a total of $6.5 million.
12. 2:28:32This is because that there is a true fear and uncertainty in our community because of the Trump administration.
13. 2:28:39Rising gas and food prices and increased immigration enforcement are already our new normal and we expect this to get even worse.
14. 2:28:48We are also asking that the city ensure these funds are accessible to people who need them without overwhelming documentation.
15. 2:28:54Our members are also aware that there are still funds available for the eviction legal services program.
16. 2:29:00We're asking that you consider funding and codifying that program past the ARPA allocation so that community members have access to council.
17. 2:29:07I urge you to vote yes on this budget and continue to invest in our communities.
18. 2:29:10Thank you all so much.

1. 2:29:23Hi, my name is Ben Laughlin, and I'm a resident of District 4.
2. 2:29:26In 2022, over 300 community members came together to reimagine the way public safety was done in this city.
3. 2:29:32We spent three months talking about what people loved about their neighborhoods and what they needed to feel healthier, safer, and more stable.
4. 2:29:38Out of that came a list of nearly 70 items that people wanted to see prioritized for investment in their community, which we've called the Pueblos Budget.
5. 2:29:45Our goal with the Pueblos Budget has been to shift the city budget from one that prioritizes policing and criminalization to one that prioritizes the health and well-being of Phoenix residents.
6. 2:29:54I'm here today feeling really conflicted about the proposed city budget before us.
7. 2:29:58There are several things in here that community members identified as a priority in the Pueblos Budget, from child care assistance to crisis relief to youth programming to more money for affordable housing.
8. 2:30:08These are all things we've been advocating for for years.
9. 2:30:10And for the first time in recent memory, there isn't any money going to the police department for new positions or programs.
10. 2:30:16These are huge wins for the community.
11. 2:30:17So thank you for listening to community needs.
12. 2:30:20The thing I can't accept though is that you found $59 million for police pay raises and new cop cars but couldn't find $3 million more for crisis assistance funds.
13. 2:30:28My understanding is that y'all are spending over $7 million on new cop cars.
14. 2:30:32New cop cars don't keep people in their homes or food on people's table.
15. 2:30:35They do nothing to increase community well-being.
16. 2:30:38In fact, they do the opposite.
17. 2:30:39They make sure cops can better harass, surveil, brutalize, and kidnap community members.
18. 2:30:43So you have a choice.
19. 2:30:44Give cops new cars or make sure that families stay in their homes and have food on their tables.
20. 2:30:51Choice is only hard if cars are more important to you than people.

1. 2:31:09Good afternoon, Mayor and members of council.
2. 2:31:12My name is Nancy Lam.
3. 2:31:13I live in District 4, work in District 5.
4. 2:31:15Thank you so much for expanding the client services line item for flexible emergency financial assistance and for increasing teen services programming.
5. 2:31:24I want to be proud to live in a city that says with our dollars that we value the health and well-being of children, youth, and families, which is why I'm asking you all to increase the client services line item for crisis relief to $6.5 million.
6. 2:31:37While this year's budget has improvements worth celebrating, the amount of money going to police still far outweighs the amount going to the resources and services our communities need to thrive.
7. 2:31:45The next fiscal year's police budget is set to reach $1.086 billion.
8. 2:31:51All of this for a police force that has killed 190 community members since 2013.
9. 2:31:56Last year, the city council approved a $5.5 million settlement for the fatal shooting of Ali Osman and a $5.25 million settlement for a toddler severely injured by a police cruiser.
10. 2:32:08Both of these settlements are much costlier than adding $3 million more to the client services budget.
11. 2:32:14The city is currently being sued by the family of Christian Diaz, who was shot and killed in his own home when protecting his family from an intruder, murdered by the police whose job he was doing when he successfully defended his family.
12. 2:32:25Martyred by the same police, their family called to help them, but instead caused the greatest tragedy.
13. 2:32:30We will continue to remind the Phoenix City Council that policing will never be a solution for the crisis we face.
14. 2:32:37There is an opportunity right now as the Trump administration has canceled SNAP benefits
15. 2:32:41May this lose our health care and as we face constant violence from ICE to invest in resourcing our community.
16. 2:32:47The police budget additions call for $7 million for new cop cars.
17. 2:32:51$3 million of this should be shifted to cover the gap in crisis relief funds to increase the client services line item for crisis relief to $6.5 million.
18. 2:33:00Thank you.

1. 2:33:13Yes, ma'am.
2. 2:33:13My name is William Kirkland.
3. 2:33:16I found it lucky enough to call Phoenix my second home.
4. 2:33:20And I am at SIS, and I'm with Ms. Elizabeth.
5. 2:33:24I just got one thing to say.
6. 2:33:26Last year and this year, when you have people sitting in the day room that are just dying of thirst, and the city's got stacks,
7. 2:33:37And we're told if we touch one, we get kicked out.
8. 2:33:42Sorry.
9. 2:33:43You know, I'm thankful to have a roof at SOS.
10. 2:33:47Very thankful.
11. 2:33:48But that is wrong.
12. 2:33:51That's all I got to say.
13. 2:33:51Thank you, ma'am.
14. 2:33:52Thank you all.

1. 2:34:08Good afternoon, Mayor, council members, and city staff.
2. 2:34:12My name is Sabrina Kanegas, and I am here today to speak on the 2026-2027 budget and to continue voicing concerns surrounding transparency, accountability, and oversight within the city departments.
3. 2:34:26I appreciate the city's investments in housing stability, homelessness response, youth programs, and emergency assistance because many Phoenix families are struggling.
4. 2:34:36I also want to acknowledge community organizations and residents advocating for an additional $6.5 million in crisis relief proposal to support families impacted by ICE activity, including housing assistance, food support, legal aid, and crisis stabilization.
5. 2:34:58These conversations matter because many Phoenix families are living in fear and uncertainty right now.
6. 2:35:05But beyond funding, Phoenix must prioritize accountability.
7. 2:35:08Today, I am asking council to reallocate funding towards stronger oversight and transparency standards across all city departments and affiliated programs, including the city's Office of Environmental Programs.
8. 2:35:24Current and former city employees within the office environmental programs have raised serious concerns and retaliatory behavior surrounding the city's backyard garden initiative program, involving claims that non-food grade safe materials are being used in city funded provided garden systems connected to 57 Phoenix families, potentially compromising and poisoning their health and well-being.
9. 2:35:50If true, this is not just an administrative issue.
10. 2:35:53It is a public health concern involving families who trusted the city to provide safe and sustainable food growing opportunities.
11. 2:36:01Phoenix cannot promote sustainability within the proposed budget while failing to ensure proper safety standards, transparent inspections, and independent oversight.
12. 2:36:11I respectfully ask council to strengthen oversight mechanisms, create safer reporting pathways without fear of retaliation, and ensure publicly funded programs are ethical, transparent, and truly serving the community.

1. 2:36:23Thank you for your time.

1. 2:36:38Thank you, Madam Mayor and Madam Vice Mayor.
2. 2:36:42I appreciate your time to hear me out, including the City Council.
3. 2:36:47I want to thank you very much, and thanks for addressing the issue with the ADA situation with the showers and the toilets.
4. 2:36:56They did arrive over there.
5. 2:36:58One of the other issues I did want to mention are things as far as what they are correct that it is getting hot out there and that for some reason we need to get some sort of misters or fans or things to cool people down over there.
6. 2:37:13The animals are getting hot and they are getting tired and one as a matter of fact as Ms. Clarissa Peterson did say that did die from heat.
7. 2:37:22As far as for inside the day room, inside the SOS itself, by the way, I'm also with what is called Funds for Empowerment.
8. 2:37:32Sorry about that.
9. 2:37:34They do have ice that came in from Ready Ice or things that have big cooler systems or things they put bags in there.
10. 2:37:42They're saying that we cannot have that ice.
11. 2:37:45It's for the sap only.
12. 2:37:47They don't have the water or anything like that, water bottle waters that is needed or things to help cool people down.
13. 2:37:55The other thing is that when it gets hot out there, people are actually getting really hot.
14. 2:38:04So we needed a little bit of help.
15. 2:38:06I understand that you guys are very limited on what budgets that you can do.
16. 2:38:11Thanks, but people over there, they really do need help over there getting staying cool, fans, ice, and stuff like that without the water being kept from them.
17. 2:38:22The last thing I want to mention is that the water drinking fountains, they have a filtration system, a three-step.
18. 2:38:30You've got green, yellow, and red.
19. 2:38:32Green is good, yellow is starting to get dirty, and red is unsafe to drink.
20. 2:38:38Those need to be replaced.
21. 2:38:42Just to make everything short, thank you very much.
22. 2:38:45Thank you.

1. 2:38:54Hi, how y'all doing?
2. 2:38:56My name is Darren Jezik.
3. 2:38:58I'm a member of Organized Power in Numbers, the Take Back Our Homes campaign, as well as the Fuerte Arts Movement.
4. 2:39:07There is no doubt that you all have done a lot for us, and we appreciate it more than you think.
5. 2:39:13But it's really just a band-aid to a problem that's going to get much worse.
6. 2:39:18I know we are asking for more funding, but we need it.
7. 2:39:22We are talking about families, businesses, neighborhoods, everything.
8. 2:39:27People are struggling just to survive.
9. 2:39:31We are dealing with an administration
10. 2:39:34that is hell-bent on the destruction of this country and the less fortunate.
11. 2:39:40You can do something now to make things better.
12. 2:39:43Don't you think you should?
13. 2:39:44Right to counsel is necessary.
14. 2:39:47We showed you the facts and the proof it works.
15. 2:39:51Other cities are very satisfied with the program and you will be too.
16. 2:39:56Remember, it keeps people from being homeless.
17. 2:40:00Don't you realize that?

1. 2:40:14Good afternoon, Mayor Gallego, members of the Phoenix City Council, and city staff.
2. 2:40:19My name is Adriana Garcia-Maximiliano, and I'm here representing Organized Power in Numbers.
3. 2:40:24First, I want to thank the council members who took the time to meet with Organized Power in Numbers, our partner organizations, and directly impacted community members throughout this budget process.
4. 2:40:36We especially want to thank those who champion investments in housing support, flexible crisis assistance, childcare, and refugee support.
5. 2:40:46These investments matter because families across Phoenix are facing deep instability right now.
6. 2:40:54At a previous budget hearing, I shared that my cousin was detained by ICE on his way to work.
7. 2:41:00Since then, he has been deported, leaving behind his wife and children here in Phoenix.
8. 2:41:05He was their only source of income.
9. 2:41:08And stories like his are becoming more common across Arizona and Phoenix.
10. 2:41:13Immigrant and working families are living with constant fear and uncertainty because of the attacks coming from the current administration.
11. 2:41:21People are afraid to go to work, afraid to seek services, and afraid to participate in public life.
12. 2:41:28and that fear does not stay isolated to individual families.
13. 2:41:34It impacts our entire city.
14. 2:41:36Recent research is already showing that immigration crackdowns are hurting workforce participation and damaging Arizona's economy.
15. 2:41:44That is why the investments this council is making are so important.
16. 2:41:48We applaud these investments, but for them to truly work, families need to be able to access them.
17. 2:41:56So today we're asking that the city continue listening to community feedback as these programs are implemented.
18. 2:42:01Lower barriers to access, reduce unnecessary documentation requirements, ensure language access, protect people's privacy, and build systems that families can easily navigate.
19. 2:42:16Thanks so much for your time.

1. 2:42:29Hello.
2. 2:42:30Hi, my name is Jessica Galaz, and I am a former high school teacher and a current member of the Phoenix Union High School District Budget Advisory Committee.
3. 2:42:40And I am here to ask for an increase to the budget and accessibility for the crisis relief funds.
4. 2:42:46From April of 2025 to our meeting last week, the Phoenix Union Budget Committee has had to make recommendations on budget cuts equating to about $30 million, with $20 million in cuts still needing to move forward.
5. 2:42:59As I sit in those advisory committee meetings trying to determine what needs to take priority, I think to myself that this would all be unnecessary if our local, state, and federal governments did their job.
6. 2:43:10There are two main reasons all Arizona schools are suffering right now.
7. 2:43:15Reason one, ESA vouchers, which cost Arizona about $700 million by the end of 2024.
8. 2:43:21And reason two, we are seeing a decline in student enrollment, which stems from families fleeing the state in 2010 due to SB 1070.
9. 2:43:30This happened at a time when I was in high school and I witnessed this mass exodus myself.
10. 2:43:3415 years later those families with children that should be entering our schools now are gone and are hopefully safe.
11. 2:43:41It does not matter which level of government passed this legislation or at what point in time it was passed.
12. 2:43:48It is each government's responsibility to address the consequences of those decisions and protect its constituents.
13. 2:43:54Support our students and families as they deal with the fallout now.
14. 2:43:58I would also like to highlight the fact that earlier this year, a Phoenix Union board member was not acting in the interest of that community and was removed from his position.
15. 2:44:07You work for us, please act accordingly.
16. 2:44:09Thank you.

1. 2:44:37Good afternoon, everyone.
2. 2:44:39My name is Melina.
3. 2:44:40I have a very short commute to work.

1. 2:44:46And on my way, I encounter about 10 to 20 unhoused folks, folks that may have lost everything, whether that be due to one health care bill that they couldn't afford or simply because they need money to feed their children because groceries are just way too expensive right now.
2. 2:45:05It's incredibly hard asking for help.
3. 2:45:07Imagine how hard it is to stand on the street in the blazing hot sun to ask for anything.
4. 2:45:13Would you be able to do that?
5. 2:45:17I've heard many folks come up here to say that the city isn't even doing the bare minimum to provide what they need, including ice, water, and misters.
6. 2:45:26While our families suffer and we have to beg for a couple of million for the client services line item, PPD over here gets an additional 59 million.
7. 2:45:3459 million going to an institution that does not keep people that look like me safe.
8. 2:45:39Millions that will go towards new gadgets and cars that will be used to terrorize and incarcerate my people.
9. 2:45:44$59 million compared to the 6.5 we are asking the client services line item increase to that provides actual reasonable solutions.
10. 2:45:55It seems like a no-brainer, right?
11. 2:45:58While this year's budget has improvements, the amount of money going to police far outweighs the amount of going to resources for our communities.
12. 2:46:05We will continue to show up to remind council that policing is not, has not, and will never be an effective solution.
13. 2:46:13We need 6.5 million.
14. 2:46:15Thank you for your time.

1. 2:46:34Buenas tardes, miembro del concilio.
2. 2:46:36Mi nombre es Angelina.
3. 2:46:38Tengo viviendo aquí en el estado de Arizona 47 años, los cuales he trabajado muy duro en el campo, limpiando oficinas, trabajando en hoteles, haciendo todos los trabajos que son muy pesados.
4. 2:46:56Aparte de que tengo que trabajar, que tenía que trabajar, pues tenía que tener muchas...
5. 2:47:04I also had a lot of problems.
6. 2:47:06Because of health problems, I stopped working five years ago.
7. 2:47:14And in those five years, I asked for my disability because I couldn't work, they denied it.
8. 2:47:22And right now I live in a very difficult crisis because my daughters are all adults, they got married, they have their own problems, and I'm the one who has to struggle to pay my bills.
9. 2:47:34Y eso siempre me trae una crisis muy difícil, por eso estoy aquí esta tarde participando con la comunidad, con el grupo, apoyando para que reciban esos...
10. 2:47:53Pidiendo que lleguemos a los 6.5 millones de dólares para que podamos seguir ayudando a familias ahorita en crisis que están muy necesitadas en vivienda, en alimentación y en pagar sus utilidades porque la vida ahorita ya cada día es más cara, se puede vivir menos y pienso que todos nosotros tenemos también la dignidad de vivir con una vida digna y segura
11. 2:48:19Y espero apoyen el aumentar, el llegar a los 6.5 millones para alivianar esa crisis.
12. 2:48:26Gracias.

Spoken in Spanish, transcribed as said

Some lines may be an automatic translation of Spanish speech, not the speaker's own words

1. 2:48:37Good afternoon members of the council.
2. 2:48:40My name is Angelina and I've been living here in the state of Arizona for the last 47 years.
3. 2:48:48I have worked a lot of hard jobs.
4. 2:48:52I've worked in the fields.
5. 2:48:54I've cleaned offices.
6. 2:48:57I've worked in hotels.
7. 2:49:00I've done all those jobs that are really hard.
8. 2:49:06And also on top of that I had to work and have a lot of, well I had a lot of problems at the time related to my health.
9. 2:49:22and about five years ago I had to stop working and during those five years I asked for my disability services because I could not work but it was denied and now I'm going through a very difficult crisis.
10. 2:49:39My daughters, they're now adults, they have their own families and they have their own problems so now I'm looking out for myself and in struggling to pay my bills
11. 2:49:52and that is is that also that brings me or puts me in a very difficult situation and I feel like I'm in this high crisis and that is why I'm here this afternoon participating alongside with the community with our group supporting so that they can acquire those
12. 2:50:18or asking that we get to that $6.5 million so that we can continue to help families right now that have high needs, especially with housing and nutrition and paying their utilities because right now life is very expensive.
13. 2:50:44and I feel and I think that all of us deserve the dignity to live in dignity and safety and I hope that we can get to that increase of the 6.5 million dollars to be able to provide that relief for this crisis.
14. 2:51:09Thank you.

1. 2:51:22Good afternoon, Mayor, Council Members.
2. 2:51:23My name is Myesha Fish.
3. 2:51:25I am a disabled resident of over 50, living currently in District 3, and I am here with organized power in numbers.
4. 2:51:35I am so humbled by pain today, and I am so proud of my efforts to be here before you.
5. 2:51:43This budget matters to me.
6. 2:51:45To my community and those in my demographic, the fixed income, disabled, mentally and physically challenged.
7. 2:51:54We are the ones that are struggling and need your help the most.
8. 2:51:58My district is one of the highest in valley evictions.
9. 2:52:02However, when I was here last year, I asked and the mayor responded to help me to avoid possible eviction by getting one of her city reps to help me.
10. 2:52:16I bypassed one of the borough blocks on the online process, and then I was approved, only to be denied an hour later, another row buck, because my landlord had not presented me a notice to evict.
11. 2:52:33Even though I fit the emergency fund criteria, had it not been for the efforts and generosity of organized power numbers raising the funds for my rent that month, eviction would have been imminent.
12. 2:52:48I have nowhere else to go in that scenario.
13. 2:52:50One unexpected expense can undo everything and push me back onto the streets.
14. 2:52:58We appreciate the way the city has listened and worked with our community in this process, and we expect to see more of this in the future as our people continue to navigate economic instability and state violence.
15. 2:53:13We appreciate the addition of the flexible emergency financial assistance, but we need to see more.
16. 2:53:20That's why I'm here in pain asking you to increase the client services line item for crisis relief funds for a total of 6.5 million and expand access to all Phoenix residents.
17. 2:53:36Thank you very much.

1. 2:53:59Hi there, my name is Steffi and I live in District 4.
2. 2:54:03Over the past year, I've had to see a lot of friends leave the city of Phoenix and move either out of the state or out of the country, especially with the ongoing violence from ICE.
3. 2:54:11My best friend left.
4. 2:54:13He, along with many others, don't want to live in fear anymore.
5. 2:54:15They no longer want to risk losing health care.
6. 2:54:18They don't want to risk...
7. 2:54:20Getting detained.
8. 2:54:21More people are leaving the city of Phoenix and that makes me really sad because the people here are what make this city beautiful.
9. 2:54:26And the city has an obligation to protect its residents overall.
10. 2:54:31Additionally, when I lost my job a few years back, my friends guided me through getting SNAP benefits, which is something that gave me a sense of security at the time when everything else was unstable.
11. 2:54:42I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to pay rent or bills.
12. 2:54:45Within the past few months, Arizona has seen the most amount of SNAP benefits cut nationwide, and that's something we shouldn't be proud of being number one in.
13. 2:54:52That sense of security has been diminished over the past year, with many people losing benefits and then people who didn't even have access to them to begin with.
14. 2:55:02The increase of crisis relief funds to a total of 6.5 million will help our residents most affected to be able to pay for housing, food, childcare, and refugee crisis support.
15. 2:55:12This is going to be extremely essential to immigrants and those who are in detention who are dealing with intense financial stress of paying for basic necessities such as housing and food plus their cases and this would alleviate their stress drastically.
16. 2:55:25I do want to recognize the improvements made to this budget and thank City Council for working with organizations and individuals alike and being open to our feedback.
17. 2:55:35However, I can't help but also recognize the continued imbalance between funds directly helping our communities here in Phoenix versus what is going to the police budget.
18. 2:55:46I am confident that given that there is a 59 million increase in the police budget, that there can be just 3 million more added to the client services line item for crisis relief funds.
19. 2:55:56Thank you for listening.

1. 2:56:34Hi, good afternoon, Mayor and members of council.
2. 2:56:37My name is Paige and I live in District 4 and I work in District 7 with Arizona Democracy Resource Center.
3. 2:56:43I appreciate that the city has listened and successfully doubled the client services line item for the crisis relief funds to more than $3 million.
4. 2:56:51I hope to see more of this in the future as our people will continue to navigate economic instability and as we obviously know, we'll continue to see state violence.
5. 2:57:00All of us who showed up today have a collective responsibility to take care of one another and the city should feel that too.
6. 2:57:07I'm asking for more, more for Phoenix families and more for those impacted by ice.
7. 2:57:12The city must increase the client services line item for the crisis relief funds to $6.5 million and to expand access to all Phoenix residents.
8. 2:57:22We can't forget that Arizona is home to Eloy Detention Center, one of the deadliest ICE detention centers in the country.
9. 2:57:29People inside Eloy continue to report medical neglect, abuse, and denial of care.
10. 2:57:35Our community continues to show up to support families impacted by detention.
11. 2:57:39Just one of them is Yadi, a legal resident and active member of the LGBTQ plus community who has leukemia and is currently dying.
12. 2:57:47and this detention center who needs emergency care.
13. 2:57:50I know ELA is not funded by the city and is privately owned, but the city can invest in immigrant families that need support with housing, food and other basic needs while they defend themselves in immigration court and detention.
14. 2:58:05We know you have the money with a police budget of over $1 billion.
15. 2:58:09You can find 3 million more to invest in actual safety rather than violence and criminalization.
16. 2:58:17Members of Council, you have a chance to protect local residents from Trump and ICE by investing 6.5 million in economic stability and actual safety for our communities.
17. 2:58:29Please stand up for your people.
18. 2:58:30Thank you.

1. 2:58:43Hello, my name is Jason Chavez.
2. 2:58:45I am with Bader in Action and Organized Power in Numbers.
3. 2:58:49But more importantly, I just want you to think of me as just an engaged resident here to tell you the pleas of the communities that I try to lead.
4. 2:58:59Now, last time I went here, I spoke about increasing the budget for the crisis relief fund to $5 million.
5. 2:59:06And I do appreciate that over $3 million was provided.
6. 2:59:09That is not an insignificant amount.
7. 2:59:12And it will be instrumental in supporting working families.
8. 2:59:16That said, it is insignificant when compared to the nearly $60 million budget increase for policing.
9. 2:59:28And why such a big number for policing?
10. 2:59:32Is it because of increasing homeless population or crime?
11. 2:59:37Because let me tell you, this crisis relief funds can address those issues much more cheaply.
12. 2:59:46because lots of families are struggling in deciding whether to pay for rent and with food and that could lead them to to housing insecurity that would increase this the general uh dangerousness the less safety of the communities and this is what the crisis relief funds can do in a much more cheap sense
13. 3:00:14I also would like to say that we also need to guarantee the right to counsel for those facing eviction as well as keeping the budget for the youth programming since I don't think I need to tell you how keeping kids off the streets helps with the safety.
14. 3:00:33and more policing can backfire as lots of kids will be scared to even go to school if they see all this police present.
15. 3:00:41So I urge you to spend that, to spend just on an ounce of prevention rather than a pound on this supposed cure.
16. 3:00:51Thank you.

1. 3:01:15Elizabeth.
2. 3:01:15Hi, my name is Elizabeth.

1. 3:01:17Can you hear me?
2. 3:01:19Yes.
3. 3:01:21Okay, sorry about that.
4. 3:01:23My name is Elizabeth and I am a Phoenix resident.
5. 3:01:27I wanted to thank you for increasing the relief funds to over $3 million.
6. 3:01:33But Phoenix families do need more, so I'm asking that the City of Phoenix increase the client service line item for crisis relief funds to $6.5 million and expand access to all Phoenix residents, allowing those impacted by the Trump administration policies to access flexible financial assistance, refugee crisis support, housing, and food.
7. 3:02:01I know it is hard to hear, you know, we want money here, we want money there, but I feel like this would make a huge difference for our community.
8. 3:02:12I also hope that eligibility for this funding be expanded and accessible with low barriers.
9. 3:02:22to all Phoenix residents.
10. 3:02:24This funding should be subjugated to trusted and culturally competent providers already embedded in the community and an implementation committee consisting of providers and community members must be established to ensure effective distribution of these funds.
11. 3:02:45Again, I do thank you for what you've done already, but
12. 3:02:51When you look at the budget, the policing fund far outweighs the amount going to the resources and services of our communities, which we need to thrive.
13. 3:03:03So again, I ask you to increase that fund to 6.5 million total so it can help all of our communities so we can actually thrive in such hard, difficult situations.

1. 3:03:25Thank you.
2. 3:03:25Did I call anyone after Elizabeth?

1. 3:03:39Hola.
2. 3:03:41Hola.
3. 3:03:43Hola, buenas tardes.
4. 3:03:45Si, la escuchamos.
5. 3:03:47Adelante, Ana.
6. 3:03:49Okay.
7. 3:03:49Hola, soy Ana Castaneda.
8. 3:03:52Hoy quiero echar mi voz por mi y por muchas familias que estamos siendo afectadas bajo esta administración de Trump.
9. 3:04:00Hay muchas familias que se les han arrebatado sus beneficios de alimentos y médicos.
10. 3:04:06Debido a todo esto, estamos viviendo con estrés y ansiedad.
11. 3:04:11Y tristemente, todo esto lo estamos transmitiendo a nuestros hijos.
12. 3:04:16Además de enfrentar racismo, violencia y maltratos por parte de ICE,
13. 3:04:22Hello, good afternoon.

Spoken in Spanish, transcribed as said

Some lines may be an automatic translation of Spanish speech, not the speaker's own words

1. 3:04:53My name is Anna Castaneda and I want to raise my voice today for myself and for a lot of families that are being affected under this administration by Trump.
2. 3:05:08There's a lot of families that have been have lost their benefits for nutrition and also medical.
3. 3:05:19Due to all of this, we are living with stress and anxiety, and unfortunately, we are transmitting this to our children.
4. 3:05:30We are also facing racism, violence, and mistreatment by ICE.
5. 3:05:39For all of this, I ask all of you council members with the heart of a mother to support with the $6.5 million to customer service for the crisis relief fund so they could be accessible to all the residents of Phoenix.
6. 3:06:05Thank you.

1. 3:06:31OK. Hola, buenas tardes, concejales.
2. 3:06:36Mi nombre es Daniela Rangel.
3. 3:06:38Hoy participo en esta llamada porque me gustaría usar mi voz para todos los residentes de Phoenix, Arizona.
4. 3:06:45Gracias a mucha gente y varias organizaciones, hemos podido aumentar el fondo de Alivio en Crisis.
5. 3:06:52Sin embargo, la cantidad no es lo suficiente para apoyar a la gente de esta ciudad.
6. 3:06:58Varias familias se han quedado sin cobertura médica, sin apoyo para alimentos y sin otros beneficios necesarios.
7. 3:07:06Encima de eso, mucha gente sigue sufriendo maltrato psicológico y físico de parte de ICE.
8. 3:07:13Por eso les pido a todos los concejales que aporten el resto del dinero para llegar a los 6.5 millones de servicio al cliente para fondos de alivio en crisis.
9. 3:07:25Es necesario invertir nuestro dinero en recursos para el pueblo y su gente.
10. 3:07:30Gracias.

Spoken in Spanish, transcribed as said

Some lines may be an automatic translation of Spanish speech, not the speaker's own words

1. 3:07:42Hello, good afternoon, council members.
2. 3:07:46My name is Daniela Rangel, and I am participating today in this call because I would like to raise my voice for all the residents of Phoenix, Arizona.
3. 3:07:58And thanks to a lot of people and a lot of the organizations, we've been able to raise the amount for the relief fund.
4. 3:08:14However, the amount is not enough to support all the people in this city.
5. 3:08:21A lot of the families don't have any medical coverage anymore.
6. 3:08:27They don't have the support for nutrition benefits and are left with a lot of their basic needs.
7. 3:08:34And on top of this, there's a lot of people that are suffering from psychological mistreatment and physical mistreatment by ICE.
8. 3:08:48This is why I'm asking all the council members to allocate all the money that is needed to get to the $6.5 million to go towards the customer service of the crisis relief fund.
9. 3:09:04It is necessary to invest the money in resources for its people.
10. 3:09:11Thank you.