The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to hear a draft reparations plan for the city of San Francisco. The plan, sponsored by Supervisor Shamann Walton and developed by an advisory committee with the Human Rights Commission, proposes repayment and support for eligible Black residents in response to the city’s systemically discriminatory public policies.
Today’s hearing was delayed last month, due to Walton’s delayed flight returning from vacation, an unforeseen mishap that brought out backlash to the plan, including personal attacks on Walton. We will be following along with the discussion below:
The city can’t afford these payments. Higher property taxes and sales tax for everyone?
Interesting that no mention is made of where this money comes from. The homeless fund, affordable housing funD, health department? And with record deficits? And no discussion of a new tax.
You’re on to something. Minimum monthly guaranteed income; monthly stipends to pregnant Black females; and, 100% guaranteed rent relief for the homeless; as well as a bailout for depositors at major banks that have gone belly up!
And free pizza for everyone!
San Francisco has a spare 250 billion; is it in a Silicon Valley Bank account perhaps?
We can fix homelessness this way too! Just give every vagrant 5 million dollars!
I cannot help but feel that the member of this committee who came up with the $5 million figure was secretly trying to sabotage this initiative. My back of envelope calculation puts the cost of that, assuming 50,000 blacks in the city, at a quarter of a trillion dollars.
I am sorry but this is not right! I am an American. Born and raised. My father and his parents escaped communism after WW2 and my mother’s grandparents were from Portugal. My ancestors did not own slaves. They were busy trying to be free themselves. How is this fair??? Why am I being forced to pay for reparations?? Another reason to leave this country!!
Do you need a ride to the airport?
JE
You’re a real nice guy Joe, but no need to put yourself out. They can take BART to the airport. The rolling heated homeless shelter and crack house. No need for them to pay either, just jump over the turn style like everyone else.
I must say Joe that have admired you and your work for ML and I have helped in supporting your cause. That being said, I find your response to Michelle is troubling me.
I am kind of in the same boat as her, I am a second generation San Franciscan and my family immigrated from Milan many years ago. We had nothing to do with slavery or any form of discrimination toward blacks.
With all the problems in this city, i.e. crime, drugs, homeless, etc… I think that money can be better spent. Asking me to help pay for this (through taxes I assume) rubs me the wrong way. I understand the sediment of all this but I think there are others who are more deserving of this debt like the people who red-lined black neighborhoods and the banks that refused their loans because of it.
I do find your reply to Michelle somewhat condescending and even though I like your work and ideals, I have lost just a little respect for you.
The $5M number seems ridiculously high and almost intentionally so in order to get the other recommendations passed and due to the cowardice of a committee afraid of being accused of low-balling and selling out.
Regardless, no number would satisfy enough people and all this will do, especially the $5M insanity is create further anger and hurt in everyone.
Is it reasonable to compare the $5M with the $20K Korematsu reparations?
I’m guessing all those unfortunate folks who were written off as “collateral damage” abroad will find it interesting and amusing that while their wives, daughters, mothers, and other loved ones lost their lives in horrific ways, their value was low balled at $3,000 per fatality, in condolence payments; while, an African -American woman and her two daughters were awarded $8.5 million for the hour they spent in the back of a police cruiser. Is this really the measure of justice and equity, for all?