Black Californians could receive $365,000 each as part of ‘reparations’ scheme
Black Californians could be eligible for payments of $360,000 each as part of the state’s plan to distribute “reparations” to descendants of slaves.
Secretary of State Shirley Weber told a rally today that California must “admit its sins and change the narrative” to pave the way for initiatives similar to those already being considered in other states.
But there are no details on how the $650 billion project will be funded amid concerns over California’s $22.5 million budget deficit, which is expected to worsen due to a carnage of tech jobs in tax-generating Silicon. Valley.
A nine-member ‘Reparations Task Force’ was created in 2020 by California Governor Gavin Newsom following nationwide protests for racial justice following the killing of George Floyd.
Previous estimates suggested the payments could be as much as $220,000 each for the state’s 1.8 million black citizens.
But at a meeting Friday, the Reparations Task Force indicated the checks could be as high as $350,000 as they seek to compensate black citizens for generations of discriminatory practices.
Members of the public welcomed plans to pay reparations, with one man saying, pictured, money is the only thing to stop crime among California’s black community
In California, white families are about six times wealthier than their black counterparts.
Experts, politicians and members of the local community all had their say during the first of the two-day meeting.
But experts admitted there were problems defining the historical period for measuring the harm black residents have suffered in a state where slavery was never legal.
One method under consideration would use the state’s racial wealth gap to measure how many descendants of slaves had lost.
Using that model, a conservative estimate would say the state owed $636.7 billion.
Other strategies discussed included calculating damages related to specific injustices such as housing discrimination, mass incarceration and health harm.
The task force has until July 1 to publish its recommendations and specify exactly how the reparations will be made.
Members of the public welcomed the initiative Friday, as one of them said money was the only way to make amends for the injustice black people feel in America.
Members of the audience received thunderous applause as they discussed the injustices faced by black Americans
The idea of handing out reparations to black citizens has become popular across America, with cities such as Boston, Massachusetts implementing similar task forces
A nine-member ‘Reparations Task Force’ was first established in 2020 by California Governor Gavin Newsom, pictured, following nationwide protests for racial justice following the killing of George Floyd
“There’s only one thing that would boost this economy — and I want you to spread the word that you’ve heard — and that one thing is capital, money, reparations,” he told the committee.
“That will boost the economy for the millions of blacks in California.
“There’s only one thing that keeps our kids from raiding these liquor stores and grocery stores, stealing junk food and other stuff and that’s reparations.”
Another man said, “These are not reparations we are taking. This is a California money reconciliation.”
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Weber, who wrote the bill to create the task force, said, “If California can admit its sins and change the narrative, then there is a way forward for states and cities across the country.”
The idea of compensating black citizens has become popular across America, with cities such as Boston, Massachusetts, St. Paul, Minnesota, and St. Louis, Missouri, as well as the cities of California, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. set up similar task forces.
Evanston, Illinois, in 2021 became the first U.S. city to make reparations to its black residents, including providing housing subsidies.
More recently, politicians in Shelby County, Memphis, voted to allocate $5 million in funding to a feasibility study that will “identify, develop and execute reparations.”
Task force chair Kamilah Moore has stated she intends to be as “radical as possible” when it comes to deciding who gets reparations and how much
Senator Steven Bradford (left) and Dr. Cheryl Grills (right) of the state of California also appear on the task force
Cities such as Boston, Massachusetts, St. Paul, Minnesota and St. Louis, Missouri, as well as the cities of California, San Francisco and Los Angeles, have also established task forces and panels to develop their own recovery plans.
The California task force consists of: Chairman Kamilah Moore, Vice Chairman Dr. Amos C. Brown, San Diego Councilman Monica Montgomery Steppe, California State Senator Steven Bradford, Dr. Cheryl Grills, Lisa Holder, Donald K. Tamaki, Jovan Scott Lewis, and Reginald Jones Sawyer.
Moore has previously stated that she intends to be as “radical as possible” when it comes to deciding who gets compensation and how much.