The Dallas Office of Equity & Inclusion’s proposed budget for the new year exceeds that of several notable initiatives, including handling elections and community police oversight.
The proposed City budget for FY2023-2024 allocates $3.84 million to the Office of Equity & Inclusion (OEI), a slight increase in funds from the previous year. It accounts for 6% of the budget for all of the City’s “management services,” which encompasses several other departments with lesser funds, including the offices of Community Police Oversight, Community Development, and Emergency Management Operations, which have a combined proposed budget of $3.1 million.
Jennifer Brown, manager of public information for the City of Dallas, told The Dallas Express that the OEI’s mission is to “advance equity, inclusion, and social justice so that all Dallasites can thrive.” This, she said, includes implementing the City’s Racial Equity Plan in all 42 departments of the government.
“This investment reflects the commitment that the City has made to removing barriers and reducing disparities among disadvantaged communities so that all residents can thrive,” Brown told The Dallas Express. “This year’s budget reflects how the City of Dallas is also making advances in accessibility especially as we prepare for the FIFA World Cup.”
“Additionally, reflecting the feedback that has been received, OEI is aiming to prioritize Fair Housing through the development of a strategic plan that will equitably address housing discrimination.”
The OEI budget also outpaces multiple initiatives outside of the management services sphere. For instance, the City Secretary’s Office is allocated a $1.95 million budget to handle elections, and the City Attorney’s Office is appropriated $1.72 million for ethics and investigations, $2.27 million for municipal prosecution, and $870,730 for police legal liaison.
In fact, the City Manager’s Office, the department that proposes the budget to the City Council, is allocated $3.39 million.
Dallas officials have made “equity” initiatives a core aspect of the City’s governmental policies since adopting the Racial Equity Plan.
The Office of Arts & Culture, as directed in the budget proposal, will “[i]ncrease support for cultural equity through facilitating cultural celebrations throughout the year,” including LGBTQ Pride events, as The Dallas Express reported.
Meanwhile, the City’s proposed budget identifies a set goal for the Office of Data Analytics & Business Intelligence of including an “equity” element in 95% of major projects, The Dallas Express reported.
Several City Council members last week criticized City employees in charge of the Equity Impact Assessment Tool, which prioritizes certain areas of the City for government products based on a calculated “equity score.”
Dallas’ Predevelopment Assistance Program uses $100,000 in taxpayer funds annually to lend to “community developers and certified women- and minority-owned businesses” in the predevelopment process of construction projects — a program legal experts told The Dallas Express may be unconstitutional.