Newsom declined to endorse the cash payments recommended by his reparations task force, which could reach as high as $1.2 million for a single recipient, arguing that dealing with the legacy of slavery "is about much more than cash payments."
This decision has put him in a difficult position of choosing between endorsing budget-busting checks or angering a key Democratic constituency.
The proposal set forth by the California Reparations Task Force on Saturday, estimated to cost more than double California's overall budget, would risk bankrupting the state.
However, those who likely support it make up a significant block of the Democratic Party – a 2021 poll by the University of Massachusetts Amherst/WCVB found that 64% of Democrats and 86% of Black Americans support reparations.
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While the Democratic governor applauded the task force's work in Tuesday's statement, he declined to endorse any specific recommendations. However, he pledged to continue to "advance systemic changes that ensure an inclusive and equitable future for all Californians."
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The task force recommends giving just under $360,000 per person to approximately 1.8 million Black Californians with an ancestor enslaved in the U.S. Other factors would stack additional reparations payments on top of the slavery-specific checks. According to an analysis from the New York Times, a Black Californian who is 71 years old and has lived in California his entire life could receive up to $1.2 million.
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The program's total cost is estimated at $640 billion, exceeding the nearly $300 billion state budget by more than double when the state is facing its first deficit in years. Newsom declined to weigh in for months on where he stood on reparations, even though the proposal has been in the works for more than two years.
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His hand may soon be forced, however. The task force's final recommendations will soon be submitted to the California Legislature, which will decide whether to implement the measures and send them to Newsom's desk to be signed into law.
Critics argue that Newsom will use the lofty proposal to score political points because he views it as a non-starter in the state legislature. To that point, CalMatters recently asked all 80 assembly members whether they supported the task force's proposal, and only three said yes, while the rest declined to respond. But if the legislature doesn't pass a bill, proponents have called on Newsom to use his authority as governor to enact the proposal unilaterally.
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"This futile reparations exercise exposes the non-serious nature of Governor Newsom's leadership," Republican Assemblyman Bill Essayli told Fox News Digital. "Rather than dealing with the problems of California head on he prefers headlines and do-nothing commissions. It might work in a Democrat super-majority state like California, but the rest of America will see right through him."
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The debate comes as Newsom continues to be floated as a possible 2024 Democrat alternative to President Biden, whose job approval ratings have sunk to a career low. Newsom has publicly backed Biden for re-election, but his actions have sparked questions about his commitment to the President.
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California is facing a $22.5-billion projected budget deficit for the first time in years after boasting about a robust surplus less than a year ago. Newsom outraged Republicans and Democrats alike after he proposed slashing his budget commitment for foster care services by two-thirds to help make up for the budget shortfall.
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The state is suddenly strapped for cash despite being No. 1 in the country for highest income and sales taxes and having the second-highest gasoline tax in the nation, second only to Pennsylvania. California is also No. 9 in the country for jobless claims, tied with Michigan with a 4.3% unemployment rate, compared to Florida's 2.6%.
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California's homeless crisis has also severely worsened since the pandemic, despite Newsom spending billions to combat it since taking office. According to the Public Policy Institute of California, the state holds more than 30% of the nation's homeless population, rising about 6% since 2020, compared to just 0.4% in the rest of the country.
Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher criticized Newsom's decision, stating that "It will take absurd mental gymnastics to require California taxpayers, including new immigrants, low-income workers, and even some African Americans,,, to pay for a wrong committed by other states more than 150 years ago, but that's the position Newsom put himself in." Gallagher also accused Newsom of making big promises he can't or won't keep and that people will learn quickly that Newsom is all talk but no action.
Elizabeth Kolstad, Chairwoman of the Fresno County Republican Party, also criticized Newsom's decision, stating, "Creating this committee was yet another half-baked ploy for votes & accolades that landed him in dangerous waters with no path to safety." Kolstad also warned that if Gavin's committee's recommendations are implemented, California will sink financially faster than the Titanic.
In conclusion, Governor Gavin Newsom's decision not to endorse the cash payments recommended by his reparations task force has put him in a difficult position to choose between supporting budget-busting checks or angering a key Democratic constituency. The program's total cost is estimated at $640 billion, exceeding the nearly $300 billion state budget by more than double when the state is facing its first deficit in years.
Newsom's decision has been criticized by Republican leaders, who argue that requiring California taxpayers to pay for a wrong committed by other states more than 150 years ago is unfair. The debate comes as Newsom continues to be floated as a possible 2024 Democrat alternative to President Biden, whose job approval ratings have sunk to a career low.