Intiative 100 - Schools Not Jails

Grey is teaming up with local artist Diana Falchuk and visionary activist Lisa Fitzhugh (Arts Corps) to host some upcoming events related to the local art community's support of Initiative 100... more on that later, what you need to know now is that time is running out to show support of this important initiative that could re-direct the disbursement of millions of dollars.

What this initiative is proposing is that the City of Seattle use the $260 million that it would take to build a new jail and invest the funds in upstream programing for the education of our youth. It is widely recognized that a significant investment in education is the most effective means of achieving a decrease in incarceration.


Initiative 100 has a few basic components:

1. The City shall negotiate openly, publicly and in good faith with King County to explore alternatives to a municipal jail, including extending the existing City-County contract for jail services.

2. The City shall conduct a rigorous, public analysis of how incarceration rates could be decreased in the short and long term while increasing public safety and positive outcomes.

3. The City shall develop and make publicly accessible a strategy to address racial disparity issues in arrest and incarceration rates.

4. The City shall place the matter of the new municipal jail before the electorate in a public vote.


We will keep you updated on Grey's support of the initiative and the upcoming events to be held in the gallery and our neighborhood.

Until then, we are urging the public to do some research about the initiative and find ways to help get it on the ballot for November. The deadline for signatures is June 8, 2009. At this point, the best and most effective way you can help is by volunteering to collect signatures. Please contact Rachel at i-100@realchangenews.org and get all the information you need to get started!! Volunteer signature gathering training is available and suggested for anyone interested!

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STOP BY GREY TO SIGN THE PETITION

For more information check out the website for The Committee for Efficiency and Fairness in Public Safety.