san francisco Politicians met earlier this week to consider a reparations package that would pay eligible black residents $5 million in lump sum payments.
The city board of directors is currently and publicly considering the draft plan, which recommends eliminating tax issues and personal debt by providing a guaranteed annual income of at least $97,000 for 250 years to a yet-to-be-determined number of black citizens New York Post.
The reparations package includes $5 million per person, guaranteed annual income, and the ability to buy homes for $1
That would be in addition to the $5 million, the outlet reports.
Under the plan, black families in the notoriously expensive city could also buy homes for as little as $1.
The indemnity package aims to make amends for centuries of systemic racism and slavery that have disadvantaged black Americans in all walks of life.
“It’s not about whether or not there’s a case for black reparations here in San Francisco. It’s about what redress will and should be like,” said Supervisor Shamann Walton, who is Black, opening the hearing, “yet we need to remind everyone why this is so important.
The board will not make any decisions on the 100 recommendations listed in the plan until June, including the controversial $5 million per person reparations payments.
San Francisco officials have received a reparations recommendation.
On the list:
-$5 million for each eligible Black adult.
-Eliminate personal debt and tax burdens
– Guaranteed annual income of at least $97,000 for 250 years
-Houses in SF for only $1 per familyhttps://t.co/2v8k9k0DP4 pic.twitter.com/g2TPDGQAEp— Philip Lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) March 15, 2023
Unclear as to how or if the city can afford to go through with the reparations plan, critics scoff at the proposal
Only after June can the board vote to reject, accept or amend the recommendations contained in the package.
To make matters worse, the report does not contain any feasibility study as to whether the city can even afford the massive reparations package.
And the plan is not without criticism.
Those opposed to the proposal say it’s impossible, especially considering San Francisco is currently running a huge deficit as the tech industry experiences an industry downturn.
But not all critics are against reparations, as San Francisco Republican Party leader John Dennis said that while reparations are fine, $5 million per person is wildly unrealistic.
RELATED: California Establishes Task Force to Investigate and Calculate Slavery Reparations for Black Americans
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors advocated a draft black reparations report containing more than 100 recommendations:
▪️ $5M payment per Eligible Resident
▪️ $97,000 income/year for 250 years
Houses for families for $1A final draft will be presented in June. pic.twitter.com/W8UtDr2SAi
— AJ+ (@ajplus) March 15, 2023
“This conversation we’re having in San Francisco is completely frivolous. They just threw up a number, there’s no analysis,” Dennis said. “It seems ridiculous, and it also seems like this is the only town it could possibly get past.”
The estimated project plan could cost the city over $50 million and cost non-black families $600,000
One estimate is that the plan could cost the city over $50 billion as it stands. The city only has a budget of $14 billion for 2022-2023, the Post reports.
Meanwhile, a conservative analyst claims the package would cost each non-black family in San Francisco at least $600,000.
“There’s still a veiled perspective that honestly, black people don’t deserve this,” said Eric McDonnell, chair of the Advisory Committee on African-American Reparations in San Francisco. “The number itself, $5 million, is actually low considering the damage.”
Beautiful images from historic reparations hearings for San Francisco’s African American community. I can’t wait to get to work implementing the recommendations of the 111 emergency number. pic.twitter.com/HCR391Ju5g
— Hillary Ronen (@HillaryRonen) March 15, 2023
An overview of the criteria San Francisco black Franciscans must meet to be eligible for the reparations package
At the time of writing this article, there are no counts of eligible Black San Franciscans.
Qualifying applicants must be at least 18 years old and have identified themselves as Black on public documents for at least a decade.
They must also show that they meet at least two of eight additional criteria — which include being born or immigrated to San Francisco between 1940 and 1996, having proof of residency for at least 13 years, being a direct descendant, or being personally imprisoned the ” failed war on drugs” and a descendant of someone enslaved before 1865.
The rest of the state of California has also considered its own reparations package that would pay eligible black Californians $360,000.
This proposal would cost an estimated $640 billion, but no plan was put in place that would fund the project in an otherwise tenuous state.
