We recommend that the Jackson City Council reallocate funds to improve the city’s physical infrastructure and provide relief to the city’s residents in the following areas –
- Reinvest funds that improve the roads of Jackson.
- Increase ability for residents to drive without potential damage to vehicles and persons by rampant potholes throughout the city.
2.Reinvest funds that improve the sewage response.
- Provide basic safety from disease and sickness by reinvesting funds to improve the city’s response to impacted residents.
3. Reinvest funds that remove boundaries on physical interaction within the city for all residents.
- Sidewalks – Improve handicap accessibility
- Buildings – Improve access for disabled
We recommend that the Jackson City Council reallocate funds to improve the health of our community by focusing on investments in the following areas:
1.Create/Improve parks and public green spaces.
- Utilize vast areas of available land to create bicycle trails and lanes for community access.
2. Provide/Create access to healthy food.
- Coop grocery stores and general businesses which provide healthy food options.
3. Create Stations for provision of basic living goods and services.
- Appliance libraries for devices that are commonly needed but not necessary to have on-hand at all times and access may be difficult for those in poverty (i.e. laundry, lawn mowers/weed whackers, wet/shop vacs, air blowers, assorted [power] tools, etc.)
- May be maintained by city services or coordinator for mutual aid network or city may provide initial investment
- Create access to recycling for impacted communities
We recommend that the Jackson City Council reallocate funds to improve the city’s public transit system –
- Community access/job retention
- Bus service to all parts of JXN and surrounding communities|Increase job security/retention in cases of automobile breakdown.
- Expand job attainment area for non driving community members.
- Counter “Food desert” reality by allowing non driving residents to access healthier options.
We recommend that the Jackson City Council reallocate funds towards the reduction of criminalization of our community members and homelessness in our Community by reallocating funds towards the following areas:
1. Reinvest funds in the decriminalization/legalization of marijuana with immediate focus on the following areas:
- No criminal records for marijuana possession
- Redirect those with substance use disorders to therapeutic services including but not limited to medication-assisted therapy if available (done w/o coercion)
2. Reinvest funds in alternative options to de-escalate responses to minor violations (parking or broken tail lights)
- Offer brake-light clinics or general simple car services to keep people safe on the roads, avoid fines, and able to go to their jobs
3. Reinvest funds in alternative options to de-escalate responses to homeless-related offenses (e.g. vagrancy, loitering, sleeping outdoors),
- Redirect people to homeless shelters or call a social worker
4. Reinvest funds in alternative options to de-escalate unnecessary aggressive responses to behavior rooted in mental health challenges.
- Increase the number of Black and Brown social workers and mental health professionals.
- Create a mental health force that can be deployed to assist in non-violent, emergency situations as an alternative to police presence.
- Training appropriate city workforce to provide proper community responses to emergency situations.
5. Reinvest funds to improve community safety.
- Creation of city-wide programs that allow for level of community led policing.
- Door jam mechanism to all senior citizens.
- Funding citywide neighborhood watch programs.