TOPEKA (KSNT) – Topeka leaders are revisiting possible changes to city’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies to hold onto around $45 million in federal funding.
The City of Topeka Policy and Finance Committee met on June 10 and approved amended recommendations that would strike down the city’s affirmative action programs. Topeka is currently at risk of losing $45 million in federal dollars if it doesn’t comply with the guidelines set by the administration of President Donald Trump.
“If the government doesn’t feel like affirmative action should be in any of our contracts, and they won’t give us any of that funding because of it, we adjust and go from there,” said Topeka City Councilman for District 6 Marcus Miller.
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The City of Topeka’s legal team went back and adjusted the language of the original proposal to address councilmember concerns. City Attorney Amanda Stanley briefed members of the Policy and Finance Committee on the proposed changes at Tuesday’s meeting. The committee voted unanimously to approve the changes and send the issue back to the full governing body for consideration.
“Some affirmative action language may be adjusted a little bit but we are, as a city, as a counsel, continue to support everyone who is in our community regardless of their race, sex, religion, doesn’t matter at all,” Miller said.
City leaders began discussing this issue earlier this year. The city relies on the federal funding for services related to affordable housing, homelessness, domestic violence and infrastructure. The Topeka City Council voted unanimously on May 6 to defer the issue, sending it to the Policy and Finance Committee for review.
The full governing body is set to vote on the issue at it’s June 17 meeting.
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