Here's why Austin residents raised concern over possible merger of equity, rights offices

Austin Mayor Kirk Watson
Credit: Mikala Compton/American-Statesman

Austin American-Statesman
Ella McCarthy, Austin American-Statesman
July 26, 2023

Austin could soon see a merger of its Small and Minority Business Resources Department, the Equity Office and the Civil Rights Office into a new Civic and Business Equity Department.

The merger and the office's creation are outlined in the proposed fiscal 2023-24 budget draft, but many residents have concerns that the departments could lose their autonomy.

"This is the worst possible time" for a merger, said Brion Oaks, the city's first chief equity officer.

The Equity Office in Austin was created in 2016 "in an effort to address racial inequity," according to the city. The Civil Rights Office was created in 2020, and the Small and Minority Business Resources Department was created in 1987.

"I really hope that I'm not the last chief equity officer in Austin," Oaks said.

Oaks, along with dozens of residents, spoke Wednesday at the first public comment session on the city's proposed $5.5 billion budget. The budget won't be finalized until the City Council votes to approve it in late August.

"These offices represent core priorities for this community and, as you've heard, come from a long stretch of engagement with the community to create these independent offices," an Austin resident said during Wednesday's public hearing. "They need direct access to city management and not to have another layer of bureaucracy."

According to the budget draft, the new department's responsibilities would include:

• Advancing racial equity in departmental policies, practices and procedures.
• Enforcing federal civil rights statutes and the city’s civil rights anti-discrimination ordinance.
• Promoting and encouraging minority, female and disadvantaged business owners to participate in and compete for contracting opportunities with the city.

"I believe that there's still the need, a strong need, for the Office of Equity to have some autonomy and authority to work across departments," another Austin resident said Wednesday.

After the public testimony, council members asked questions and voiced concerns about the proposed merger.

"I'm thinking through what type of message does it send as a city for us to consolidate very, very important divisions," District 2 Council Member Vanessa Fuentes said.

Interim City Manager Jesús Garza later said that "there's a tradition in the city of Austin with offices that are combined — that those serving in those capacities that were previously stand-alone continue to have the status that they had, and we intend to utilize that model."

The budget draft outlines the restructuring of several city departments, including the creation of a Transportation and Public Works Department through the merger of the former Public Works Department and Austin Transportation Department, and the separation of the Housing and Planning Department into two independent offices.

"These realignments involve the transfer of more than 70 positions across several city departments," the proposed budget states, and are aimed "at creating a more efficient and streamlined organizational structure."

The city's next public meeting on the proposed budget is Aug. 1.

To view the full version of the budget, visit the Austin city clerk's website.