Fiscal Note
The recommendations proffered by the Racial Equity and Social Justice (RESJ) Core Team as included in its report are focused primarily on the implementation of training and processes to address racial equity issues relative to City of Madison practices and those of the larger community. The initial efforts include a focus on training, broadening racial equity considerations throughout City processes, and, data gathering and analysis. Most of the implementation steps can be accommodated with existing staff resources; however, the Team has recommended the creation of a new 1.0 FTE Data Project Coordinator in 2015. The estimated expense for this new position is approximately $80,000 to $90,000 (including salary and fringe benefit expense), depending on the final classification and qualifications. The funding will be City levy monies and will need to be accommodated in the 2015 City operating budget, subject to State levy limits and City Council approval.
Title
Establishing the City of Madison Racial Equity and Social Justice Initiative.
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WHEREAS, the City of Madison has both the ability and an obligation to proactively work towards undoing long-standing institutional and structural bias that have resulted in racial, social, and economic inequities; and
WHEREAS, on October 2013 the Common Council adopted RES-13-00828 declaring the City of Madison's intent to adopt an equity impact model and requesting city staff to form a work group and begin working on an equity impact model and report back by April 2014; and
WHEREAS, city staff have formed an interdepartmental equity workgroup, the Racial Equity and Social Justice (RESJ) Core Team, to gather information and best practices from other cities and regions and develop recommendations for a City of Madison equity impact model. The RESJ and its subgroups meet regularly, have received training, and are performing tasks to accomplish the directives of RES-13-00828; and
WHEREAS, the RESJ has adopted the following mission: to establish racial equity and social justice as core principles in all decisions, policies and functions of the City of Madison; and
WHEREAS, the RESJ envisions a community where:
· Living wage jobs, safe neighborhoods, high-quality education, a healthy, sustainable natural environment, efficient public transit, parks and green spaces, affordable and safe housing and healthy food are afforded to all;
· The benefits of growth and change are equitably shared across our communities;
· All people have opportunities for fair and just inclusion in public processes and decisions; and
· One's future is not limited by race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, age, income, place of birth, place of residence or other group status; and
WHEREAS, the RESJ Core Team has completed the attached report entitled: "A Strategic Vision for the Future: City of Madison Racial Equity and Social Justice Initiative Baseline Report and Initial Recommendations."; and
WHEREAS, the RESJ Core Team has identified, through a variety of community engagement efforts, strong support and readiness among community partners for the City to take a targeted approach to address racial, social, and economic inequities; and
WHEREAS, the timeline for fully implementing the RESJ Initiative in the City of Madison is a two- to three-year initial implementation phase with all efforts brought fully to scale within five years; and
WHEREAS, City of Madison's RESJ Core Team recommends next steps in three focus areas: 1. Equity in City Operations; 2. Equity in City Policies and Budgets; 3. Equity in the Community;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Common Council accepts and adopts the RESJ report "A Strategic Vision for the Future: City of Madison Racial Equity and Social Justice Initiative Baseline Report and Initial Recommendations."
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Common Council directs the RESJ Core Team to execute the five-year implementation plan as detailed in the report, specifically implementing the following next steps:
A. Expand RESJ Core Team to include representation from all City departments
B. Begin training and capacity building at all levels (City staff, elected officials, community partners) per Core Team training plan
C. Continue to pilot and evaluate the use of the RESJ Toolkit on policy, program, and budget decisions
D. Support a Data Project Coordinator position in 2015 City Operating Budget
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the RESJ Core Team will provide regular updates on implementation of the RESJ Initiative to the Common Council and Mayor.