Push for Reparations in Chicago Gets New Life as Johnson Earmarks $500K for New Panel
news.wttw.com
Mayor Brandon Johnson is backing the creation of a new subcommittee to study reparations and is agreeing to earmark $500,000 in his 2024 spending plan to fund the panel’s work.

Half a mil to put their thumbs up their asses instead of just literally giving that money directly as reparations jokerfied

Edit: I want to clarify, I fully support reparations, I'm just extremely frustrated knowing that, under liberal/bourgeoisie democracy, these types of efforts tend to get bogged down with means testing, and sometimes outright turn into thinly-veiled handouts to private corporations. All while the police budget is still increasing YOY.

That said, Evanston (city on Chicago's northern border) did actually manage to distribute "...$25,000 in no-strings-attached direct cash payments for those eligible. Black residents who lived in Evanston during a 50-year period of discriminatory zoning laws and their direct descendants receive priority for eligibility." So I don't want to encourage further reactionary criticisms such as mine towards this specific subcommittee if they are able to achieve at least some form of direct payments similar to Evanston's program.

  • 420blazeit69 [he/him]
    ·
    8 months ago

    Reparations for a national crime isn't something that should be decentralized to city councils and local governments.

    Sure, but a national program isn't happening anytime soon. I don't see why we should object to local governments doing something, as local governments had plenty of discriminatory policies, too.

    Chicago looking into it is theatrics.

    This level of pessimism is unfounded. Another Illinois city (Evanston) has already started making reparations payments, and local governments have been ahead of the curve on many issues where the feds lag behind.

    • Trudge [Comrade]@lemmygrad.ml
      ·
      8 months ago

      Evanston is "reparating" home repair credits to 16 residents. It's not a real example and you know it.

      The chicago committee is going to issue $700 per resident, get embroiled in a lawsuit over prior residents who moved out and needs water bills from 10 years ago to prove it. The administrative costs will be greater than the reparation, and people will claim reparations have been paid.

      If there is a mandate and political capital for reparations, this Chicago affair only wastes it. If I am being uncharitable, I might even say maliciously.

        • WoofWoof91 [comrade/them]
          ·
          8 months ago

          they should update their website

          i was going to post this whole thing from their faq

          Why doesn’t the City give cash payments for Reparations?
          Due to IRS reporting requirements, the City does not have the authority to exempt direct payments from either state or federal income taxes. As a result, a recipient would be liable for the tax burden associated with the award. The amount a particular recipient would owe would depend on their overall income, but it could be as much as 24 to 28 percent owed to the IRS and Illinois. The Restorative Housing Program disbursements of funds would go directly to the financial institution or vendor which will be responsible for the tax liability, not the resident.

          i'm interested in how they got past the irs thing

          • 420blazeit69 [he/him]
            ·
            8 months ago

            "We didn’t get the money in our hands. We never see the money. The city paid the contractors for the work."

            That’s what 88-year-old Louis Weathers, another grant recipient, said he wants to remain in place. He is not in favor of the cash option the council approved Monday.

            “I don’t think they should do that. They should have some stipulations that will help the city in housing. Something that will help the value of my property stay stable or go up,” he said. “Giving people cash isn’t a good idea unless you put it in a trust, and you can only get so much each year.”

            Looks like they started by paying contractors for repairs/renovations done, or paying banks for new purchases, but approved a cash option in March '23.

        • Trudge [Comrade]@lemmygrad.ml
          ·
          8 months ago

          I was going by an old source that listed home repair credits for 16 residents. I stand corrected on that front, as direct cash payments to 100+ people isn't nothing unlike home repair/purchase credits for 16.