Sacramento community discusses how best to spend Measure L funding to keep kids safe
Millions of dollars are about to be handed out to help keep kids safe in Sacramento, and a workshop was held to ask people how the funding should be spent.
Many are saying violence prevention is one of their top priorities.
Daani Partridge, 18, was shot and killed in June. Jeremiah Walker, also 18, was murdered in May. Just this week, a 15-year-old boy was gunned down at an Arden-area apartment complex.
Each is an apparent victim of youth violence in Sacramento.
Lilian Ghafari said that there needs to be more investment in prevention. She's part of a new city commission charged with spending millions of dollars each year on kids and young adults.
"Youth in Sacramento are affected by so much violence, so much gun violence and so this money can help that and help save lives," she said. "That's really our goal here."
In 2022, Sacramento voters passed Measure L, which created a fund to help people under 25 who are impacted by poverty, violence, and trauma.
Money comes from a tax on cannabis businesses.
"It is projected at about $9 million a year," Ghafari said.
The city is now asking community members how the money should be spent.
"I think we need to fund mentoring programs," said Bina Lefkovitz, with the Sacramento County Board of Education. "We need to help young people be successful in school."
Funding could also go toward mental health and substance abuse treatment, workforce development, and crisis care.
"The funding that comes with this creates another opportunity for us to hit the reset button and start doing some new innovative things," said Khaalid Muttqi, with the fund's commission.
The Sacramento City Council is expected to finalize the spending plan this fall, and the majority of the money will be awarded to local community groups through a competitive process.