ACTION REQUESTED:
Title
Communication from the City Manager with a Request to Hold a POLICY SESSION on VIOLENCE REDUCTION FUNDING.
Body
BACKGROUND: The City of Peoria appropriated $1,300,000 of American Rescue Plan Fiscal Recovery Funds for violence prevention with the adoption of the 2022-2023 Biennial Budget. At the conclusion of the state legislative session, the General Assembly included additional state funding for the City of Peoria in the SFY 2023 Budget:
? $3,000,000 from DCEO for Violence Prevention/Community Development;
? $125,000 from DCEO for Police Equipment;
? $500,000 from IDHS for Violence Prevention; and
? $3,000,000 (likely) from IDHS for the co-response policing model.
With a total of $7,925,000, this is the most funding for violence prevention that the City has ever had to work with. However, these State grant funds will have requirements from the state agencies as well that the City will have to follow, and there may not be much discretion with the funds. The City has yet to receive grant agreements from the State, but with the State Fiscal Year beginning July 1, it is likely to be forthcoming.
The State of Illinois is also increasing funding for violence prevention through additional sources. The Reimagining Public Safety Act set aside $250,000,000 for violence prevention over the next three years, and the R3 (Restore Reinvest Renew) grant program utilizes cannabis taxes for additional violence prevention.
Staff would like to engage in a policy discussion on Council on the uses of the American Rescue Plan Funds and to seek guidance from the Council on the state grants.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The additional funding from the state will have to be appropriated by the Council, necessitating a budget amendment.
NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS: All neighborhoods are concerned about violence.
IMPACT IF APPROVED: Guidance is sought from the Council on the policy questions pertaining to these grant funds.
IMPACT IF DENIED: Guidance is so...
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