Q&A
MOERJ's involvement in racial equity planning and budget process
0:43:02
·
132 sec
Council Member Nantasha M. Williams inquires about the Mayor's Office of Equity and Racial Justice's (MOERJ) involvement in the racial equity planning process and its engagement with the city budget process. Commissioner Sideya Sherman explains MOERJ's role in developing a citywide racial equity plan and its collaboration with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
- MOERJ is developing a citywide racial equity plan that will express priorities of all agencies and the city overall
- The office has been working with OMB to design tools for assessing budgets through an equity lens
- The racial equity plan is expected to inform the FY 2026 budget cycle
Nantasha M. Williams
0:43:02
Okay.
0:43:04
Few more questions.
0:43:07
I'm gonna ask a few questions about fulfilling the mandate in get a little bit more into the racial equity plans.
0:43:14
So 1 of, as you have also mentioned, the most important mandate is to lead a ratio equity planning process that will result in a citywide ratio equity plan.
0:43:24
The charter's ratio equity planning schedule is meant to ensure that racial equity priorities can be considered and reflected in the budget planning process.
0:43:33
I know how will love to see that report as a council member and also member of V And T to make sure we are being equitable.
0:43:40
So I'm looking forward to it.
0:43:42
And so despite the delays in the formal racial equity planning process, has MOERJ been able to engage in the city budget process for FY 2025.
Sideya Sherman
0:43:54
So outside of the needs for our office or programs that our office is connected too.
0:43:58
We haven't been part of, you know, the overarching budget negotiations, but we do know that going into the next budget cycle, the city will have a city wide ratio equity plan.
0:44:07
It will express the priorities of all agencies, but also of the city overall.
0:44:11
Right?
0:44:11
Our office is responsible for building the city wide plan, which as a collection of those agency plans, but also the priorities of the administration.
0:44:19
So as we go into FY 26, we're excited for the city to have a plan that's strong, that's meaningful, and that will express those priorities.
0:44:27
I would just also add, as I shared, we started an advisory board as went through the planning process.
0:44:32
OMB was also part of that advisory board.
0:44:34
Right?
0:44:35
So as we thought through the ratio equity planning process, how we wanna to structure it, how we designed the process.
0:44:40
They were also partners to us to help us translate the types of tool tools that they need as they assess the budget, for instance, the types of uniformity of definition, a process across agency right, so that they have some objective criteria that they can use as they actually review that plan.
0:44:58
They've been valuable partners and thought partners and thinking through change management when city government.
0:45:03
And so as we go into the FY 26 budget cycle, I think, you know, it's promising that that the city, the council, and the city at large will have this plan to reference?