Council approves creating citizen-led panel to direct public safety funding

Today the Common Council adopted legislation creating a body that will oversee the allocation of the $600,000 MKE Community Impact Fund for non-police public safety solutions.

The creation of the MKE Community Impact Committee (Council file #241394), legislation authored by Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs, will empower a panel that includes seven city residents to create rules/parameters for proposed non-police public safety solutions and to vet submitted solutions that will ultimately be voted on by members of the public.

The $600,000 MKE Community Impact Fund comes from the Council-Led Transformational Fund, and Alderwoman Coggs said the Council action today cements the Council’s desire “that the funds allocated to the MKE Community Impact Fund be expended through a resident-led, community budgeting program.”

“Residents have repeatedly urged a more robust community budgeting mechanism – especially for how the city addresses public safety issues – and the MKE Community Impact Committee will have its hands directly in making key funding recommendations for ways to improve public safety. This level of direct citizen involvement in bringing forth public safety solutions is something never seen before in Milwaukee’s history,” Alderwoman Coggs said.

The MKE Community Impact Committee will consist of the Budget & Management Director or designee, the City Comptroller or designee, the Administration Director or designee, the City Attorney or designee, and seven city residents appointed by the Common Council President in consultation with other Council members. Appointed residents shall reflect a cross section of the city, and the panel will oversee the distribution of MKE Community Impact Funds until all funds have been expended.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.