AGENCY TESTIMONY
Delays in the racial equity planning process and revised timeline
1:07:32
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Linda Tigani outlines the significant delays in the racial equity planning process and the revised timeline for the 2024 cycle. These delays have impacted the city's ability to incorporate racial equity considerations into the budget process.
- CORE missed the first deadline due to delays in hiring, pushing back the process by eight months
- A revised timeline was developed with the Mayor's Office of Equity and Racial Justice (MOERJ)
- The preliminary racial equity plan is 112 days late from the October 31 deadline
- The delay has affected the FY2026 budgeting cycle, which launched without guidance from racial equity plans
Linda Tigani
1:07:32
Government agencies must be held accountable to the racial equity planning process and timeline outlined in chapter 78 of the New York City Charter.
1:07:41
The city's racial equity planning process set to occur biannually starting calendar year 2023 begins with CORE submission of community equity priorities and indicators due October 1.
1:07:55
Due to significant delay in my hiring, CORE missed the first deadline, thereby pushing back the launch of the process by eight months.
1:08:04
According to the charter, the chair and executive director and all commissions should have been in place no later than August first of twenty twenty three.
1:08:13
My first day was October eleventh of twenty twenty three.
1:08:17
The commission was not fully appointed until October thirtieth of twenty twenty four.
1:08:23
Once I came on board, I hired a team of six staff members and supported elected officials to complete their appointments to the commission.
1:08:31
The second core staff member did not join until March of twenty twenty four.
1:08:37
Simultaneously, I worked closely with the mayor's office of equity and racial justice, also known as MOERJ, to develop a revised timeline for the 2024 racial equity planning cycle, which was shared with the public via the MOERJ website.
1:08:52
Commissioner Sadiya Sherman of MOERJ and I agreed to the release of a preliminary racial equity plan no later than 10/31/2024 and a final plan no later than December 24 sorry, December 2024.
1:09:07
As of today, the plans are one hundred and twelve days late from the October 31 deadline and March late from the original date in the charter.
1:09:17
As a result of this delay, the fiscal year twenty twenty six budgeting cycle has launched without the necessary guidance racial equity plans should provide to understanding the changes in investment strategy the city will take to ameliorate racial and social injustice.