Sacramento unveils pilot Budget Equity Resource Guide and Tool (BERG/T)
Sacramento (May 20, 2024) In preparing the proposed budget for fiscal 2024-25, city staff is for the first time using a data tool that helps identify the effects of spending decisions on underserved groups and neighborhoods.
The pilot Budget Equity Resource Guide and Tool (BERG/T), designed by the Racial Equity Committee (REC), has helped city staff and the City Council understand the unintentional negative impact of potential budget reductions.
The new tool is still in the pilot stage. This year it was used to evaluate the proposed budget reductions in the Fire Department, the Office of Innovation and Economic Development, and the Convention and Cultural Services Department.
In an update to the City Council earlier this month, Aimee Barnes, the City’s Diversity and Equity Manager, emphasized the tool's importance for informed decision-making. “Our goal was to find a lens that would balance the Racial Equity Committee's input with the practical needs of our city staff, particularly given the limited timeframe in the budget approval process,” said Barnes. “The cuts we’re addressing have already been proposed, and all our efforts aim to identify best practices that can be replicated citywide for future budgets.”
The pilot program stemmed from the adaptation of the April 2021 Resource Report, which provides guidance on applying an equity lens to budget cuts through two perspectives: service impacts and location impacts. Sacramento's equity and exploratory design tool (SEED), was created to offer an overview of equity across the city, using indicators like unemployment rates and household income levels. This publicly available tool can be accessed HERE.
Sacramento's equity and exploratory design tool (SEED)
Councilmember Mai Vang stressed the importance of equitable governance, stating, “We were all elected to represent our districts and we are going to fight hard for our districts. But when we take a look at this map we know where the disparities are, and I think it’s important for us to really face that head-on.”
The tool, Vang said, shows Council members “how we should govern, how we should uplift those families and communities left behind.”
City staff explained that, due to the short timeframe and limited resources of the pilot, it could not be rolled out to all departments. However, the ultimate goal is for every department to utilize the tool. They plan to reconvene in August to discuss a phased implementation strategy for future years.
To learn more about the Sacramento Racial Equity Committee and BERG/T please visit HERE
