DOWNTOWN TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — The County will bring back information related to how the Citizen Charter Review Committee will move forward to address inequalities and poverty in the community.
- The motion passed at the Committee meeting on Thursday.
- County staff did raise concerns about the amendment possibly clashing with state and federal anti-DEI policies.
- Watch the video below to see why the Committee voted in favor of pushing the amendment forward.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Neighbors furthering discussion about potentially changing the County's Charter to establish a framework to address poverty and racial inequalities in the County's history. I'm Maya Sargent in Downtown Tallahassee. County staff did raise concerns about this amendment potentially conflicting with state and federal anti-DEI politics. Take a look at why the motion ultimately passed.
"I believe that the County Charter is where Leon County sets its long-term values and that is exactly where the restoration of communities from historic harm amendment belongs."
"Public policy, not accidents, shape which neighbors thrived and which ones were left behind. Those policies still affect our community today."
"Direct staff to prepare draft language for amending the Leon County Charter to establish a new article requiring the County to assess and address persistent community disparities resulting from historic public policies."
The Citizen Charter Review Committee passing this motion to potentially create a framework that would ensure available resources go toward rectifying racial inequities in the County's history.
"If we find citizens here in Leon County have been negatively impacted because of historic public policy that has had a lingering affect, the County is well within its right to do something about it."
Dr. Bruce Strouble is the advocate behind this motion.
The County did raise concerns that this could encroach on state and federal anti-DEI policies.
"They are tying the receipt of federal dollars to the certifications that people do not have race-based or DEI-based policies. Period."
Citing the most recent opinion by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, stating, "state laws requiring race-based state action are presumptively unconstitutional."
The County instead say the thousands of dollars they funnel into communities who have been underserved are based on data, so they comply with state law.
"We use empirical data to respond to the need that doesn't take solely into consideration issues of historical racial discrimination."
Strouble says his amendment does not override state or federal laws, and it does not require race-based programs, but he says it's still a way to address some of the inequalities in our community.
"If grants become available, if there are mitigation efforts that are made and funding becomes available, it creates a lawful place to place it within the Charter arrangement."
Advocates for the amendment say next steps will now include getting the language approved by the Committee, before it is put before the Board, and potentially the voters in the midterms.
In Downtown Tallahassee, Maya Sargent, ABC 27.
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