Dear Mayor Coonerty and Santa Cruz City Council Members,

I write to enthusiastically encourage you all to support the resolution that seeks redirecting federal funds used on a failed US policy in Colombia (in large part under the pretext of fighting a drug war) towards supporting substance abuse treatment programs in US cities. Santa Cruz has been at the forefront in the past in making the link between international and local issues. This is another opportunity.

Some in Santa Cruz will object to Council action on what some will consider solely an international issue. Yet time and again, we’ve been able to recognize not only how broader issues have important impacts here at home (in this case, fewer federal funds to address the very real needs in our community) but we also know it’s important to take a stand and officially say “not in our name.” In this case, the Colombian government and military impunity related to serious and well documented human rights abuses must be repudiated. US federal funds should not support these abusers. As a city, we should push for that.

As a long time Santa Cruz resident, I have been inspired by the City Council’s actions that take on the global issues. As a Santa Cruz-based private foundation, we fund human rights and community-based organizations in Colombia that deal with the daily consequences of impunity. We know what a difference it would make if communities throughout the US would courageously demand no more federal funds to the Colombian government while impunity reigns.

Thanks for your consideration and for all the good work you do.