Q&A
MOERJ's role in future budget cycles and cross-agency analysis
0:52:03
·
6 min
Council Member Williams explores MOERJ's anticipated role in future budget cycles and its ability to conduct cross-agency analysis for equitable resource allocation. Commissioner Sherman explains the office's approach to these challenges.
- MOERJ will have a finalized racial equity plan to inform the FY 2026 budget cycle
- The office focuses on aligning goals across agencies rather than directly allocating resources
- MOERJ's work involves connecting the dots between various city agencies to build alignment
- The citywide plan will identify how resources are or can be allocated across communities or issues, rather than across agencies
- MOERJ aims to provide information and set priorities to inform resource allocation decisions
Nantasha M. Williams
0:52:03
That's good to hear.
0:52:04
And And I guess this is more of a, like, a future question as you endeavor to be a part of the FY 26 budget cycle.
0:52:14
Because, you know, as you said, we're in budget negotiations, and I think there's been plenty of times where myself caught leads, you know, talk about how commissioners will complain to them about OMB.
0:52:29
And so and and afraid of o OMB, and OMB is, like, the end of a bill.
0:52:34
And so I I almost and I hope, and I'll be really interested in how, again, your office is empowered to be a strong voice in the budget process and just and maybe you can't answer because, you know, politics.
0:52:50
But I'm just wondering how you feel about your role going into the next budget cycle.
0:52:56
And if you do feel once again like empowered to even have a strong voice within the budget cycle.
0:53:05
And if your office is o and b specifically is evaluating the work of your office, as they seek to draft city budgets year after year?
Sideya Sherman
0:53:16
Sure.
0:53:16
So I don't wanna speak for OMV, but I will say, again, they've been partners in this process.
0:53:21
And I think, you know, as we have a final plan, it will express the priorities of agencies and the administration, and I think that that's important write critical information as the the city budget is created.
0:53:32
Obviously, you know, new needs are a fraction of the city budget.
0:53:36
And so while we know that agencies, of course, right, are will propose and identify areas of of need.
0:53:44
We also are asking agency to take a look at how they allocate their existing resources.
0:53:49
And so that's part of the process as well, as well as, right, the many non monetary actions the city can take to advance equity, whether it's policy reform, removing impediments, etcetera.
Nantasha M. Williams
0:54:02
Okay.
0:54:02
And I just thought of another question.
0:54:04
Like, you know, it's 1 thing in 1 agency to look at how they're spending their resources in different communities with different types of demographics across the city.
0:54:16
But in your assessment, are you also going to be looking at how let's say, I won't even say any names because I'm trying not to I'm trying to be good.
0:54:26
Agency a that people might find to be a problematic agency and perhaps should be defunded in some way because of the work that they've done that some might feel is targeted to certain communities and maybe looking at agency b that is doing really great work in areas around equity and improving things for black folks in New York City as an example.
0:54:56
Are you looking across agencies too to see how funds can maybe be reappropriated to best serve the city more equitably or is it just focused on, like, agency by agency spending?
0:55:09
Is there any, like, cross agency work?
0:55:11
Because to your point, and I and I get it, and I understand like, OMB's mandate.
0:55:16
And so not even thinking about how we can increase money, but how are we spending the $100, 000, 000, 000 that we have right now across the city, not just within a particular agency, but across agencies.
0:55:26
And if money could be reallocated from 1 agency to another agency, be not just reallocation within the agency to me that seems something to be analyzed as well.
0:55:39
So I'm just wondering if that is a part of your thinking not just within agency, but have you also been thinking across agencies how spending could be more suitable?
Sideya Sherman
0:55:50
Sure.
0:55:51
So we've been thinking across agencies around how goals can be aligned.
0:55:55
Right?
0:55:55
And I think goals then lead to how and where and, you know, you allocate resources.
0:56:02
Right?
0:56:02
And that that helps that decision making process.
0:56:04
But our focus has been on how we align goals.
0:56:06
So while there are collection of individual agency plans, there is a citywide plan.
0:56:10
The purpose of the citywide plan certainly is a cast citywide goals, but also to connect the dots.
0:56:16
So a lot of our work is connecting the dots between various city agencies to build alignment.
0:56:22
Right?
0:56:22
And I think that that again creates whatever the priority is.
0:56:27
I you know, our job is certainly we are not allocating the the city budget.
0:56:31
Right?
0:56:32
But I think that we're providing the information and setting the priorities necessary for us to think about resource allocation in the text of those shared goals?
Nantasha M. Williams
0:56:41
Yeah.
0:56:41
Like, in my head, you can tell me if, like, this is how you feel the intent of this office you know, would be implemented is that there would be, you know, some type of documentation analysis that provides a clearer picture on how the city could be spending more equitably and serving certain communities that have been historically underserved.
0:57:04
And then, you know, OMB and whatever agency head would be using that information to craft budgets that reflect whatever, you know, recommendations, reports that you put out?
0:57:16
Yeah.
0:57:17
And I so the yes.
0:57:18
So the the plan, I think, provides us an upper community to identify how resources are,
Sideya Sherman
0:57:25
right, or can be allocated across certain communities or certain issue is not necessarily how they're allocated across agencies, right, but really organized how it's allocated across the priorities Mhmm.
0:57:38
Whether that be, you know, geographic population, issue area, etcetera.
Nantasha M. Williams
0:57:43
Okay.
0:57:43
So part of your plan is more so focused on the priorities and almost, like, means testing the budget to the priorities that you have identified through the plan?
Sideya Sherman
0:57:58
Yeah.
0:57:58
I mean, the plan really is like setting these goals the strategies that are short and long term to achieve these goals with an understanding that many of the goals are cross functional.
0:58:08
Right?
0:58:08
So you know, if you think of any challenge in the city, right, there it's no 1 agency's job to solve.
0:58:15
And so our expectation is the city wide goals are capturing those, and and that's used to inform all of our decision making.