Garza pauses changes for Civil Rights, Equity offices until after budget passage

The controversial plan to reorganize the offices of Civil Rights and Equity and two others is being put on hold and will be evaluated after City Council concludes its work to finalize and approve next year’s budget.

At Tuesday’s budget work session, interim City Manager Jesús Garza said criticism from community groups and objections to the move from many Council members caused him to reconsider the plan, which he’d included as part of the draft budget completed last month. Garza said he was prompted to “take a step back” on the reorganization because of his concerns that the debate could slow the budget process or take Council members’ focus away from other pressing needs.

“Fundamentally, there have been issues that have been raised that touch the history of how the Equity Office, in particular, was established,” Garza said. “And it’s critically important that you be able to focus your attention on the resource allocations for all these departments as you adopt the budget for (2024).

“We’re going to reassess the concerns that have been expressed about the creation of these organizational changes, and when the budget’s approved, there are some senior leadership positions that I’m considering establishing, as well as restructuring that will further improve our visibility and alignment for this organization.”

The draft budget included Garza’s plan to merge the currently unconnected Equity and Civil Rights offices with the Small and Minority Business Resources Department to create the Civic and Business Equity Department. Another shift would have moved the Sustainability and Resilience offices into the Planning Department.

Garza named the Equity Office in his comments, but he didn’t specifically speak about the separate adjustment to the Sustainability and Resilience offices during his comments Tuesday.

Upon release of the proposed budget, community groups and some Council members expressed their objections to the decision to move the specified offices under new managers at the cost of their independence. A lack of community discussion or feedback sessions about the proposed changes also ruffled feathers.

Council Member Vanessa Fuentes praised Garza for acting in accordance with the concerns she expressed along with Council members Chito Vela, José Velásquez, Zo Qadri and Ryan Alter.

“I appreciate your comments on holding off on any organizational changes” on the Equity, Civil Rights, Sustainability and Resilience offices, Fuentes said. “We’ve all shared concerns that we’ve heard from our community. And so giving us the time and space to have these more public conversations with our community from a process that’s not coupled with the budget is appreciated.”

Community leaders who had in recent weeks spoken out loudly against Garza’s plans expressed optimism at the change in direction after his comments.

“The decision to remove the reorganization of the Civil Rights, Equity, Sustainability, and Resilience offices from the proposed budget is a step in the right direction, but let’s be clear: this isn’t the end of the journey,” activist and attorney Yasmine Smith told the Austin Monitor via email. “It’s a beacon of hope that we are on the path to change. We must now take this momentum and channel it towards equitable solutions for our unhoused neighbors, especially during extreme weather conditions. Our commitment to justice and fairness doesn’t stop here; it’s merely the beginning of a larger, much-needed conversation about compassion and responsibility in our community.”

Eric Byrd, president of the Black Professional Alliance, said Garza’s plan undervalued the importance of the four offices, and he thinks preserving the offices’ independence “is a vital step in the right direction for our city.”

“These offices are more than just a bureaucratic function; they are the heart and soul of our commitment to equality and justice,” he told the Monitor via email. “They enforce anti-discrimination laws, promote inclusivity, engage with our community, and offer education and resources to those in need. Support of these offices will set Austin on a path to be a leader in supporting its diverse workforce and promoting equity across all city business.”

The Austin Monitor’s work is made possible by donations from the community. Though our reporting covers donors from time to time, we are careful to keep business and editorial efforts separate while maintaining transparency. A complete list of donors is available here, and our code of ethics is explained here.