Public comment for 6/9/20 Sacramento City Council meeting

Regarding the Review of Local Emergency Declaration – Civil Unrest [Oral Report]   

Hello, My name is Erin Mahoney and I’m a resident of Sacramento in District 4. I am emailing to demand the restructuring of our city budget, so as to prioritize more social services for our community, and to drastically minimize spending on Police. 
It is unconscionable that 1/3 to 1/2 of the city’s budget is going to the police department. This does not align with the values that I have as your constituent and I demand that you and other city officials work together to draft and approve a budget that diverts funds from the police department and reallocates them directly to benefit those in need. 
Defunding the police and restructuring the budget is an absolute necessity now more than ever. Police perpetuate a pattern of excessive violence and force, especially directed towards Black People and their communities. The police refuse to hold their own accountable and this is unacceptable. The world is seeing this now, thanks to videos like that of the murder of George Floyd. In response, the people have taken to the streets in protest. And guess what? We have encountered even more police brutality and violence, including here in Sacramento. 
We are in the middle of a global pandemic that has killed 100,000 Americans and more than 40 million people have filed for unemployment. Healthcare workers are without proper equipment and essential workers are not being fairly compensated or protected for the great work they do. We don’t need more police, we need more social safety nets. Funds intended for police would be better off being sorted to initiatives that:

• Better fund and support our social workers
• Enrich our public schools and students 
• Provide more affordable housing and mental health care initiatives 
• Protect and bolster our parks 
• Support small businesses struggling due to COVID-19 
• Provide cheaper and cleaner modes of public transportation 

Our nation is grieving the deaths of Black Americans that were murdered at the hands of police officers who have yet to be held accountable. While the police department has more funding than it knows what to do with, we have communities who desperately need funding and every day they don’t receive it their quality of life worsens. Thousands have died who did not need to. You have the ability to change this, so do it. 
Sincerely,

Erin Mahoney

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Erin in a Year

As our country’s birthday approaches, I decided to make this July 4th about me and me alone, as that’s kind of the American way.

It’s been a very strange year, and I’m confused to report that I’m happy to report that soon I’ll be divorced. It’s not what I wanted, but who ever wants it to begin with? I’m ready now. I’m excited to not have to explain that I’m still kinda married when I go on dates, I’m glad to move on, and I look forward to being able to look back in peace.

So, here’s a cool GIF of me throughout this weird period, minus the first few months when I was a giant mess:

Things are gonna be ok.

Thanks to everyone who has helped and continues to help! Keep up the good work, champion!

Happy birthday Bill David!

You da best

Ew Paul Ryan

While watching the VP debates I noticed that Paul Ryan looks like Steve from Married with Children, and Viet rightly said he looks like Ryan from The Office. You be the judge!

California Stars

It is always so tough to return to the real world after a vacation, especially the first vacation Tara and I have had together since our honeymoon almost four years ago. To make the transition easier, we had steak and champagne last night, but the true test was heading into work today.

After a quiet morning with coffee and a crossword, I got in my car and set off, and the first song that my iPod shuffled out just happened to be this one, which has become “ours.” And suddenly, even though my love was still snug in bed, the day became ours as well.

Vote for your favorite Mahoney photobomb

This ol’ classic with a twist:

Or this new, holiday goblin edition:

Submitted by Tracey – we photobombed her parents pretty well at the Cinematic Titanic live event:

Three years

Congratulations Sarah and Joe!

My good buddies got engaged. They deserve a headswap!

 

 

You make me happy when skies are gray

I’m not sure how to phrase this exactly right, but there are moments in life when I especially miss having a mom. Of course, I always miss her, and of course I miss my dad too, but seeing friends interact with their mothers occasionally knocks the wind out of me. Sometimes you just need a mom hug, right? There is absolutely no replacing that.

Will you be my Valentine?

I’ve known you for so long now, I feel you imprinting on my memories. You’re in the bushes on the Easter I had chicken pocks and couldn’t search for eggs. You’re guiltily giggling at me as I am the only little kid putting in fake teeth to eat dinner. You’re grimacing with me as I do my physical therapy, my tiny legs shaking with pain, in the living room of my childhood home.

And I find myself in your stories, rooting for you as you escape from a menacing goat. I’m behind a telephone pole the day you sprained your ankle on a trampoline. I’m blending into the landscape when you’re sulking around Grand Canyon, too mad about not getting candy to care about the massive chasm in the ground beside you.

These memories converge and overlap, like double exposures kept for humor’s sake. They see a future lifetime shared and buckle from exclusion. They refuse separation. They hug close together and bleed through, superimposing and impressing on each other until the mingling is complete and irreversible.

I’m there the night we met, looking over my own shoulder at you, seeing all the things I don’t remember and finding details I’d hate to forget. At that moment I love you doubly, as I do today, as I will forever.