John Legend, Common, the Weeknd, Lizzo Sign Open Letter to Defund the Police - Rolling Stone

Statement, written by Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors, calls for more spending on education and health care.

Common, Lizzo, and John Legend are among those supporting an open letter demanding police spending be decreased in favor of health care and education.

John Legend, Common, the Weeknd, Lizzo, Jane Fonda, and others have signed a new open letter urging local governments to decrease police budgets in favor of spending more on health care, education, and other community programs.

Noting, for instance, that state and local government spending on police and corrections jumped from $60 billion to $194 billion between 1977 and 2017, the letter lays out an array of different ways that money could be used

“It could go towards building healthy communities, to the health of our elders and children, to neighborhood infrastructure, to education, to childcare, to support a vibrant Black future

At the end, the letter lays out its three demands and asks all signees to encourage their local officials to take the pledge as well: “Vote no on all increases to police budgets

Vote yes to decrease police spending and budgets

Vote yes to increase spending on Health care, Education, and Community programs that keep us safe.”