TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – A previously failed Leon County charter amendment that would address historical harms – like racial injustice – may have new life, but leaders need to make sure it complies with new DEI rules.
The amendment, titled “historical harms” would identify past injustices and pay for future fixes.
The measure was all but dead after the Leon County Charter Review Committee tied 9-9 and did not recommend the amendment. Now, the issue could go before a review committee for reconsideration.
In the face of anti-DEI legislation, sponsors of the historical harms amendment are hoping to shape Leon County’s constitution in a way that rights those wrongs, but also complies with the law.
“So the motion fails on a tie, but we urge commissioners that the democratic process would kind of behoove them to send it to the voters. There was more discussion needed. So they said, let’s send it back to the committee and see how we can move it forward,” said Dr. Bruce Strouble, the sponsor of the proposed amendment.
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Sometimes likened to a reparations amendment, the measure would require the county to study past wrongs and fund fixes. Several review committee members said they might have voted for the measure, if not legal concerns.
Commissioner Bill Proctor said the county commission wants the review committee to reconsider the amendment on its face, and let the elected officials worry about the legal consequences.
“We think that we’re saying to the committee, ”We stand with you, but we don’t want you to send us stuff out of fear. We want you to send us things out of your convictions and your beliefs of what is right,” said Proctor.
For his part, Dr. Strouble believes the proposed amendment can co-exist with anti DEI legislation in Florida.
“(We want) to direct funding and investment into communities that have been negatively impacted. We’re not talking about racial reparations in that sense. We’re talking about restoring communities,” said Strouble.
He added that calling it a reparations amendment isn’t quite right.
“(We want) to direct funding and investment into communities that have been negatively impacted. We’re not talking about racial reparations in that sense. We’re talking about restoring communities,” said Strouble.
Sending the amendment back to the charter review committee is significant. Should the committee recommend the change, just four, instead of five county commissioners could put the proposed amendment on the general ballot in November.
A Leon County spokesperson said the proposed amendment is coming back before the county commission itself, not heading straight to the review committee, like some believe.
“Ultimately, the board directed staff to bring back an agenda item,” the spokesperson said. “At that time, the board will review the matter and determine whether to refer it back to the (review committee) for additional consideration.”
County leaders have been wrestling with pushing forward Tallahassee’s more progressive politics in light of anti-DEI legislation sitting on the governor’s desk waiting to be signed.
Proctor said that he, for one, is not worried about being removed from office.
“So this office ain’t that great. It ain’t no that big of a deal of me. So I ain’t kissing nobody’s ass to hold some office. It’s that simple,” Proctor said.
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