What would happen if the council took tonight’s agenda and voted through an equity lens?
In October, 2013, the City Council passed a resolution calling for a equity impact model, almost 15 months ago. I’m not really sure where that is at. The City’s Equity and Social Justice Report passed last April, almost 10 months ago. But it won’t be until 2016 that they “Finalize Equity Analysis Tool(s)”, “Conduct Equity Impact Analysis on Key Policy and Budget Decisions” and “Align Purchasing, Contracting, and Grants with Equity Goals”.
Right now, there are no equity lenses to look through. And there won’t be until 2 – 3 years after passing that initial resolution calling on the city to create the equity impact model. As far as I know, I haven’t seen any updates from the staff on what is happening to move this forward. Meanwhile, the city continues on, essentially ignoring equity in every day decisions, which was the whole point of an equity impact model. Tonight’s agenda is a good time to think about equity and see if it has any impact on how people vote. Here’s the items I piked out that were of interest.
6:30 PM COMMON COUNCIL ROOM 201 CCB
– #2 – Submitting the appointment of Paul A. Kronberger for confirmation of a five-year term as the Information Technology Director. Making $122,679 per year.
– #3 – Submitting the appointment of Robert F. Phillips for confirmation of a five-year term as the City Engineer. Making $137,489 per year.
Hmmmm, now might be a good time to ask, where are the women and people of color in the leadership in the City of Madison? And how much are they getting paid compared to the white men? Is Lucia Nunez, at the Department of Civil Rights still the only person of color heading a department? (I hope I’m forgetting someone!) And how are those few women’s salaries compared to the men’s.
– #5 – 1910 Tennyson Lane, rezoing from SR-C1 (Suburban Residential-Consistent 1) District to SR-V2 (Suburban Residential-Varied 2) District to provide zoning for residential building complex containing 72 apartment units in 2 buildings.
How affordable are these apartments? Are they starting to get to the point where people who need them the most can afford them? Hint, the answer is no. But yet, the neighborhood is opposed.
– #13 – Mayor’s veto of billboard ordinance. – needs 14 votes to override the veto.
Hmmm, where will the removed billboards end up if “cap and replace” allows new billboards when they are removed from development projects? Low income neighborhoods with “affordable” housing along major transit corridors on the edges of town? How is it equity to remove billboards from desirable neighborhoods and move them to areas of town where the neighborhoods are less desirable to live in.
This is good news, but I haven’t heard it discussed at all. Not sure if there have been neighborhood meetings to discuss it or not. Haven’t seen much in the newspapers. Why has this gotten so little attention compared to the Rethke project that seemed to cause a little commotion? Families ok? Singles, most men, mot ok? Just a little reminder of that disparity – “Forty-seven percent of single men in shelter identified themselves as non-white, with the largest group being African American (42%).” (page 8)
Where was equity when people were discussing moving the fireworks downtown? Moving a free event out of lower income neighborhoods and moving to lakefront properties . . .
Sigh. I’m not sure I even know what this one is, it wasn’t discussed at Board of Estimates. I just find it funny that people are worried about $300,000 for Allied Drive grocery and tons of other neighborhoods that are experiencing food desserts or insecurity don’t even blink at spending this kind of money on software.
This one blows my mind. Also not discussed at Board of Estimates. $13M and it wasn’t discussed. High end housing I’m assuming, and office space and parking. Apparently no one has any concerns about it. But the $300,000 for Allied Grocery, well that certainly got discussion and hand wringing about where that money would come from. Why? How is that equity?
– #26 – 190 Madison Police Department Tasers being sold to a “reputable local dealer”. for $18,000 and spending $214,000 for more tasers.
Ok, I pulled this one cuz, well, why aren’t we buying local if there is a reputable dealer? Who is this alleged “reputable dealer” and what happens to those tasers? I’d ask if I was on the council. Betcha a beer no one on the council can answer the questions and won’t ask.
My understanding is that most of the questions from council members where, why this neighborhood and not mine. Good question, but for $13M in borrowing, instead of TIF, they could all have subsidized grocery stores with low interest loans that get paid back. THAT would be equity!
– #45 – Designating Six Lots Recently Acquired by the City as an Addition to Owl’s Creek Park.
Not sure what I think of this one, I’d like to see that equity lens put on it. Owl Creek, of course people will just say yes, but I looked at the map and I don’t think I really get why this is important and why it skipped ahead. I’m assuming the rest of the park isn’t very usable. Again, no discussion at Board of Estimates.
