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California allocates $12 million to the country's largest reparations effort

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

CALIFORNIA IS ABOUT TO LAUNCH THE LARGEST STATE-FUNDED RESTITUTION OPERATION OF ITS KIND IN THE STATE.

The next budget will allocate $12 million to black residents, citing decades of racial injustice as the reason.

THAT'S A FAR FROM THE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS A TASK FORCE RECOMMENDED EARLIER THIS YEAR. BUT CONSIDERING THE STATE'S $50 BILLION BUDGET DEFICIT, OFFICIALS SAID THEY ARE GLAD TO BE ALLOCATED ANY MONEY.

MOVEMENTS TO COMPENSATE BLACK PEOPLE FOR THE WOUNDS OF SLAVERY AND SEGREGATION HAVE RECEIVED NEW IMPEDIMENT AFTER THE DEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD IN 2020 AND THE PROTESTS THAT FOLLOWED.

NOW CITIES AND STATES ARE TAKING ACTION.

DC'S 2025 BUDGET PROPOSAL INCLUDES $1.5 MILLION TO STUDY THE FEASIBILITY OF REPARATIONS.

BUT SOME EFFORTS HAVE ENCOUNTERED OBSTACLES.

IN LATE MAY, A CONSERVATIVE INTEREST GROUP IN EVANSTON, ILLINOIS, SUE TO STOP THE COUNTRY'S FIRST STATETALLY FUNDED RESTITUTION PROGRAM.

ARGUMENT: THAT THE EFFORTS DISCRIMINATE AGAINST OTHER ETHNICITIES.

AROUND FIVE MILLION DOLLARS HAVE ALREADY BEEN PAID OUT FROM THE PROGRAM TO ALMOST 200 PEOPLE.

THIS MONTH, THE OKLAHOMA SUPREME COURT DISMISSED A LAWSUIT FOR COMPENSATION FOR THE LAST TWO SURVIVOR OF THE 1921 TULSA RACE MASSACRE.

CALIFORNIA'S EFFORTS still face resistance from Republicans and some Asian and Latino lawmakers who say it is unfair to make current residents pay for past wrongs.

THE STATE BUDGET DOES NOT INCLUDE HOW REPARATIONS WILL BE PAID, BUT STATE LAWMASTERS SAY THIS WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO BILLS RELATING TO REPARATIONS.

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Anna Harden

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