Earlier this month, San Francisco essentially defunded its own African American Reparations Advisory Committee, which had proposed paying $5 million — a figure they called “minuscule” — plus other benefits to every eligible black resident of the city.
But while the payouts would have cost the city $175 billion, more than ten times the annual budget of the city, the Reparations Committee could not even get the city to fund the $2 million they wanted to keep their office staffed and funded.
You’d think New York would have learned from this unrealistic debacle before Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a bill on Tuesday creating a reparations commission.
First California, now New York.
Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) signs legislation creating a commission to study potential reparations for residents of African descent. Listen to the applaud. Clown world. pic.twitter.com/icxGqomEOL
— Freyja™ (@FreyjaTarte) December 20, 2023
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a bill to form a commission to study what slavery reparations would look like in the state. pic.twitter.com/yFujCHzSfJ
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) December 19, 2023
But apparently, it’s easy to make big promises when it’s not your money — especially in an election year.
Like the one in California, New York’s commission will spend taxpayer dollars investigating compensation for descendants of slaves.
According to The New York Times, the Reverend Al Sharpton said the reparations commission will “heal … the wounds,” but the empty promises make it more likely that they will just rub salt in them.
According to Hochul, New York being “on the right side” of slavery is not enough. “What is hard to embrace is the fact that our state also flourished from that slavery. It’s not a beautiful story, but indeed it is the truth,” she said, according to The Associated Press.
“I know the word ‘reparations’ brings up a lot of conflicting ideas for people,” Hochul said in what could be rightly described as a massive understatement. “A lot of people instinctively dig in when they hear it, without really thinking about what it means or why we need to talk about it.
“Today, I challenge all New Yorkers to be the patriots and rebuke — and not excuse — our role in benefiting from the institution of slavery,” she added.
The nine-member commission is charged with delivering a report of recommendations –that could include monetary compensation — within one year. Never mind that New York abolished slavery in 1827, according to the AP.
Of course, the committee will most likely suggest astronomical payouts that could cost taxpayers tens of billions of dollars. This is as New York already faces a $4.3 billion deficit for 2024, according to the New York Times.
New York State Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt pointed out that the U.S. has already paid reparations “with the blood and lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans who fought to end slavery during the Civil War” and added that the reparations would come at an “astronomical cost” to the city’s residents, the AP reported.
According to the New York Post, New York City has taken in almost 100,000 illegal immigrants this year alone, leading mayor Eric Adams to “implore” President Joe Biden for financial help.
Other states, such as Massachusetts and New Jersey, are also considering similar reparation studies, the AP reported.
In May, California’s reparations commission also proposed a sweeping payout program, including formal apologies and over $1.2 million per black resident, according to the New York Times. This astronomical price tag comes as California grapples with fiscal turmoil, staring down a $68 billion budget gap.
Between lavishing benefits on illegal immigrants, looming budget deficits and sky-high reparation demands, one wonders what could possibly be left for residents in Democrat states not entitled to the government gravy train or holding historical grievances.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
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