Number
201571
Version
SUBSTITUTE 3
Reference
Sponsor
ALD. MURPHY, JOHNSON, STAMPER, ZAMARRIPA, SPIKER, PEREZ, KOVAC, DIMITRIJEVIC, COGGS, RAINEY, DODD, BORKOWSKI, LEWIS, AND HAMILTON
Title
Substitute resolution directing the Department of Administration - Budget and Management Division to create a transparent and inclusive plan for the allocation of funds received from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
Analysis
This resolution directs the Department of Administration to establish a transparent and inclusive plan for the allocation of funds received from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA). This shall include at least the following steps:
1. Conducting a public survey to identify the community’s priorities for ARPA allocations.
2. The Department of Administration - Office of Equity and Inclusion establishing specific and measurable goals related to the allocation of funds.
3. Presenting a proposed budget for allocating and expending the ARPA award.
4. Soliciting comments from the public following presentation of the proposed ARPA budget.
5. Engaging in hearings before the Finance and Personnel Committee to finalize the ARPA allocation plan.
This resolution further specifies that no final allocation of the City’s ARPA funds shall be approved by the Common Council until a transparent and inclusive plan in compliance with this resolution has been implemented.
Body
Whereas, The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), signed into law by President Joseph R. Biden on March 11, 2021, will provide Milwaukee with more than $400 million in federal stimulus investments urgently needed to help workers, families, businesses and state and local governments recover from the on-going COVID-19 public health emergency; and
Whereas, This federal award exceeds the City’s 2021 tax levy by more than $100 million and is equal to more than 25% of the City’s total 2021 Budget; and
Whereas, Given that the City’s ARPA award is of a similar scale to the City’s annual budget, it is imperative that that the allocation of ARPA funds likewise be determined with the same degree of transparency, opportunity for public comment, and oversight by the Common Council, as is followed during the City’s annual budget adoption process; and
Whereas, The U.S. Department of the Treasury has yet to issue guidance on local control of ARPA fund awards; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, By the Common Council of the City of Milwaukee, that the Department of Administration is directed to establish a transparent and inclusive plan for the allocation of funds received from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Department of Administration - Office of Equity and Inclusion shall establish specific and measurable goals related to the allocation of funds; and, be it
Further Resolved, That this plan shall include a public survey to solicit and identify community priorities for allocating the City’s ARPA funds, the results of which shall be shared with the Common Council; and, be it
Further Resolved, That this plan shall include the Department of Administration presenting to the public and the Common Council a detailed proposed budget for allocating the City’s ARPA award; and, be it
Further Resolved, That this plan shall include a public comment period after presentation of the proposed ARPA budget; and, be it
Further Resolved, That during the public comment period, the Department of Administration shall solicit and provide opportunities for public comment on the proposed ARPA budget; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the plan shall include engaging in hearings before the Finance and Personnel Committee to establish a final ARPA budget, in which each line of the proposed ARPA budget is subject to amendment and approval; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Department of Administration shall present the plan for allocating ARPA funds, including a timeline, a proposal for executing the public survey and comment period, and a date for presenting a proposed ARPA budget, within 30 days of adoption of this resolution, and this plan shall be submitted to the Common Council for approval; and, be it
Further Resolved, That no final allocation of the City’s ARPA funds shall be approved by the Common Council until a transparent and inclusive plan in compliance with this resolution has been implemented; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Department of Administration shall work collaboratively with the City Clerk’s Office to develop the survey questions, which shall be subject to approval by the Common Council, and to analyze the results, which shall be posted on the City Clerk and the Department of Administration websites; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the expenditure of ARPA funds prior to the development and approval of an allocation plan in accordance with this resolution may be approved by the Common Council and the Mayor; and, be it
Further Resolved, That an allocation plan established in accordance with this resolution shall be limited to the first tranche of funds received by the City in 2021; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Department of Administration shall solicit ARPA allocation and expenditure priorities from Council members, compile responses provided by Council members, and provide the compiled responses to City departments to assist departments in developing their own requests for ARPA funding; and, be it
Further Resolved, That in the event that guidance from the U.S. Treasury, or other controlling federal authority, expressly limits the Common Council’s involvement or authority to direct ARPA allocations and expenditures, in the interests of transparency and accountability, the Department of Administration shall nonetheless implement the public survey, present a proposed ARPA budget, and conduct a comment period on the proposed ARPA budget.
Requestor
Drafter
LRB176616-3
Dana J. Zelazny
May 4, 2021