Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings and County Commissioners will soon finalize and approve the proposed 2020-2021 county budget. The $4.8 billion includes millions in giveaways to corporations and a $15 million INCREASE to the Orange County Sheriff's Office, led by Sheriff John Mina, who has a disturbing track record of violence and brutality throughout his career, including when he shot teenager Joseph A. Dungee III to death in 1999. Most recently on August 7th, Orange County Sheriffs shot and killed 22-year old Salaythis Melvin. Body camera footage shows Mr. Melvin running from the deputy before being shot and killed. 

New data from Mapping Police Violence shows that from 2013-2019, the Orlando Police Department had the 4th highest rate of killings among the police departments of America's 100 largest cities. The data showed that Black people were killed at 4.6x the rate of White people, and Hispanic people killed at 2.7x the rate of White people. Sheriff John Mina was Chief of Orlando Police from 2014-2018, before being elected to Orange County Sheriff. Now the Orange County Commission wants to give Sheriff Mina an additional $15M. 

There will be two public budget hearings in September, on Thursday September 10th and Thursday September 24th, both at 5PM, where YOU, members of the community can share your thoughts on the proposed budget, before its implementation begins in October. Stay tuned for details on how to submit your comments and speak! 

In the meantime, send an email to the Mayor and County Commissioners RIGHT NOW, urging them to REJECT the proposed $15 million dollar increase and instead invest those dollars in support of Black lives-- to uproot systematic racism, and protect our communities. Now is the time to enact real change so that we can begin rebuilding our County into a place where our whole community feels safe.