- Oakland, CA: Ballot Initiatives for Sustainable Revenue Sources
- Philadelphia, PA: Using State Money
In 2004 voters passed Measure Y: The Violence Prevention and Public Safety Act of 2004. Drawing on funds from a new parcel tax plus a parking surcharge on parking in commercial lots, Measure Y provides approximately $19.9 million for public safety and violence prevention activities. Approximately a quarter of these funds support prevention programs and activities in the city, including youth outreach counselors, after-school and in-school programs for at-risk youth, domestic violence and child abuse counselors, and ex-offender and parolee employment training and wage incentives. The oversight requires an annual independent evaluation of police and violence prevention programs; an annual independent audit of expenditures; and an 11-member oversight committee, with three members appointed by the Mayor and one member appointed by each Councilmember. The measure will sunset on January 1, 2015. [source: http://www.oaklandhumanservices.org/initiatives/VPPSA/measureyfacts.htm]
The Blueprint for a Safer Philadelphia Initiative is a 10-year community-based violence prevention initiative with the goal of eliminating all youth homicide in Philadelphia by the year 2016. State Representative Dwight Evans created the Blueprint by securing $16 million in state funding and bringing a number of key partners to this historic effort. The plan was written after a year of community meetings including a meeting of over 300 youth and input from lawmakers, law enforcement officials, public health officials and community leaders. The Blueprint supports the Violence Reduction Partnership Program, Witness Relocation, Pennsylvania Injury Reporting and Intervention System, Local-State Firearm Task Force and the Gun Courts. The Blueprint consists of two strategy groups. The Management Team serves as the Blueprint program implementation group and is comprised of staff from Representative Dwight Evans, Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition (GPUAC), MEE Productions, and CHOICE (a health consumer-centered agency operating in Philadelphia for over 35 years). The Strategic Advisory Committee is comprised of community leaders including, the Office of State Representative Dwight Evans, GPUAC, Dr. Paul Fink, MEE Productions, United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania, Philadelphia District Attorney's Office, Philadelphia Safe and Sound, Philadelphia Anti-Drug Anti-Violence Network and The School District of Philadelphia, and Philadelphia Youth Network.
