A violent week in Salinas has residents taking a closer look at the city’s budget

The violent deaths of two teens this week in Salinas has residents frustrated and looking to the city’s budget for answers.

“I’ve never seen this lack on an investment from the city in addressing the gang violence problem and it’s got all of us fired up. We are all concerned. How many more lives is it going to take?” said Brian Contreras.

Contreras, the founder of Second Chance Family and Youth Services, a gang intervention program in Salinas, said over the last two years his organization has seen little to no funding. He hopes now the city will take a closer at the services his program provides.

“We work with these kids that nobody else wants to. We get them and redirect them and pull them back on the right path,” said Contreras.

With violence on a lot of resident’s minds, dozens of people packed Los Padres Elementary School for a city community budget meeting to have a say in how the city spends taxpayer dollars.

“But we also want to know what the public wants. What areas do they want, we can shift and adjust the budget,” said City Manager Ray Corpuz.

Residents also asked about more officers. But Corpuz said the city has a hard time recruiting and retaining police. In addition, he said public safety already consumes a big chunk of the budget.

“Over 65 percent goes to public safety and about half of that is police,” said Corpuz.

Still, while a fully staffed police department is important Contreras said it’s not the only solution to fighting crime.

“We also need that other critical point on the street of having people like us who go there and reach out to the kids who are hanging out on the street corners to try and keep them from getting in more danger,” said Corpuz.