Global Courant 2023-05-07 02:22:00
Activists on Saturday demanded the state of California pay millions of dollars to every black resident in reparations as a way to make amends for slavery and subsequent discrimination, rejecting the California reparations task force’s mammoth proposals as too few.
The demands were made at a highly volatile official meeting of the task force, which was established by state legislation signed into law by Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom in 2020. The committee heard public comments as it considers submitting final recommendations to the California legislature . , who will then decide whether to implement the measures and send them to Newsom’s office to be signed into law.
An activist identified as Reverend Tony Pierce was one of the most outspoken people at the rally, referring to the famous “40 acres and a mule” promise to former slaves when he took the stage.
“You know the numbers must be ambiguous about what an acre was back then. We got 40, okay? We got 40 acres. You know what that number is. You keep trying to talk about now, but you’re researching back to slavery and you says nothing about slavery, nothing,” Pierce said. “So the ambiguous number from the 1860s for 40 acres to today is $200 million for every African American.”
CALIFORNIA REPAIR PANEL TO RECOMMEND ‘DOWN DEPOSITS’ TO BLACK RESIDENTS, ABOLITION OF CASH BARGEL
Reverend Tony Pierce calls for millions of dollars in reparations for every black Californian at a meeting of the California Reparations Task Force on May 6, 2023. (YouTube screenshot from California)
Pierce, who shouted most of his comments, then turned his anger on the task force for not pushing through what he felt was an ambitious enough recovery plan.
“Don’t be afraid,” he said. “You should just tell the truth. You are not supposed to be the gatekeepers. You’re supposed to say what the people want and hear from the people.’
Pierce concluded with a warning to California’s top elected official: “Tell Governor Newsom we’re coming. He knows me.”
Economists in March predicted in a preliminary estimate that California’s recovery plan could cost the state more than $800 billion. The task force, which consulted five economists and policy experts to arrive at the number, said at the time that the total did not include compensation for property the group says was unfairly taken or for the devaluation of black-owned companies.
California’s total annual state budget is about $300 billion.
CALIFORNIA REPAIR PANEL SAYS TOTAL COST ‘LEAST IMPORTANT’ ASPECT DESPITE POTENTIAL $800B PRICE TAG
Earlier this week, however, the task force released its latest proposals, which don’t include a blanket price tag, but instead outline how California might calculate how much money black residents have lost since 1850, when the state was founded, to today due to discrimination.
The report suggests dollar amounts lost to specific forms of racial discrimination, indicating that those amounts should be returned to black residents.
For example, these estimates include the loss of $2,352 per person per year in residence in California for excessive surveillance of black communities, $3,366 per person per year of residence for “discriminatory loans and zoning”, $13,619 per person per year of residence for “injustices” . and health discrimination” and $77,000 per person for black-owned business losses and devaluations.
The task force, in its latest documents, also urges eligible black Californians to receive cash “down payments” as soon as possible pending the calculation of the full amount of money lost due to racism and slavery.
In all, a black person who has lived in California all their life, until at least age 71, could potentially receive more than $1.2 million in lifetime restitution.
Kamilah Moore, chairman of the California Reparations Task Force, departed, and Amos Brown, vice chairman, at the California Science Center in Los Angeles on Sept. 22, 2022. ((Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images))
‘$5 MILLION IS TOO LITTLE:’ ACTIVISTS SAY CALIFORNIA REPAIRS COMMISSION TO MISS HIGHER
However, such ideas skimp on what it takes to pay black Californians, according to activists who spoke at the rally.
“$1.2 million isn’t nearly enough. It should start at least $5 million, just like San Francisco,” said one woman. “We want instant cash payments, just as the incentive (cheques) has been sent. It’s our legacy and we can handle it.”
The city of San Francisco is considering its own proposals for local-level reparations, including a proposal to pay out $5 million each to eligible black residents.
Others at the meeting similarly rejected that the task force’s current plan is insufficient. A speaker called on the task force to issue $5 million in reparations, as San Francisco is considering.
“This million dollars that we are hearing on the news is just inadequate and a further injustice if that is what this task force is going to recommend to Black Americans for over 400 years and continuation of slavery and injustice that we have had to endure,” she said. “To throw even a million dollars at us is just plain unfair.”
Cheryl Grills, right, and Lisa Holder, left, both members of the California Reparations Task Force (Screenshot from Twitter account of California Black Media)
NEWSOM’S CALIFORNIA PUSHES BILLIONS IN RECOVERABLE PAYMENTS AS STATE BUDGET SHORT DISASTERS
Whatever the final numbers, it’s unclear how California would afford to pay millions of dollars to every eligible black resident. Newsom announced in January that the state is facing a budget deficit of $22.5 billion for the coming fiscal year. Weeks later, the California Legislative Analyst’s Office, a government agency that analyzes the budget for state legislatures, estimated in a subsequent report that Newsom’s forecast fell short of the target by about $7 billion.
Task force leaders have said they expect the legislature to come up with actual reparations. According to California Department of Justice officials, the law establishing the task force did not direct the committee to identify sources of funding.
Aside from arguing that reparations are fiscally intractable, critics argue there is no point in enforcing them when California has never allowed slavery.
Proponents counter that racial discrimination in the state has devastated the black community and cost untold amounts of money.
In addition to raw dollars and cents, the task force is also proposing several policy changes to combat racial discrimination and for California to issue a formal apology issued by the legislature and signed by the governor for slavery and anti-black racism.
California Governor Gavin Newsom attends a press conference in Half Moon Bay, California on January 24, 2023. (Dai Sugano/MediaNews Group/East Bay Times via Getty Images)
NEWSOM SILENCES AFTER HIM CALLED TO TAKE EXECUTIVE ACTION FOR REPAIRS
According to the task force report, the recovery program would be overseen by a new government agency that would determine eligibility and distribute the funds.
Most of the people who spoke at Saturday’s rally spoke out in favor of reparations. However, despite such an agreement, sparks flew through the chaotic, emotionally charged meeting when an argument broke out. Indeed, many attendees spoke out of turn and interrupted each other, leading Kamilah Moore, the chair of the task force, to call security several times to remove people.
In several instances, activists in the room went into shouting matches, forcing the assembly to be put on hold to quiet the room.
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The repair task force will vote on its final recommendations Saturday night. A final report containing the panel’s official recommendations must be submitted to the state legislature no later than July 1.
Aaron Kliegman is a political reporter for Fox News Digital.
