Majority of California voters do NOT support cash reparations for slavery – after Governor Newsom’s task force recommended residents get a $5 million handout
More than half of California voters oppose cash payments as reparations for slavery. a new poll has been found.
The study highlights a potential problem for lawmakers as they consider reparations in the state next year.
Governor Gavin Newsom created a reparations task force, which proposed awarding $5 million to every Black resident.
It also believes that those entitled to the money should have their personal debts forgiven and guaranteed an income of $97,000 for 250 years and $1 homes.
Governor Gavin Newsom created a reparations task force, which proposed awarding $5 million to every Black resident
More than half of California voters oppose cash payments to compensate for slavery, a new poll shows
A UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies survey commissioned by the Los Angeles Times found that 59 percent of voters oppose cash payments.
Of black Californians asked for their opinions, 76 percent were in favor of reparations, while 51 percent of white Californians were “strongly opposed” to the cash payment.
More than four in 10 voters were “strongly” opposed to cash reparations, despite Newsom serving on the task force in 2020.
After two years of deliberation, the task force sent a final report and recommendations to the state capital, where a decision on the matter will be made.
The group suggested that cash payments to all descendants should be based on health disparities, mass incarceration and overpolicy, as well as housing discrimination.
A maximum of $13,619 is recommended for health disparities per year the person has lived in California – which was calculated by comparing life expectancy between black non-Hispanic and white non-Hispanic Californians.
Eligible descendants are recommended to receive $2,352 for mass incarceration, and the housing discrimination rate is $3,378 per year between 1933 and 1977, if they lived in California.
The poll also found that the majority of those opposed to reparations said it was “unfair to ask current taxpayers to pay for past wrongs,” with 60 percent of voters expressing this view.
It also believes that those entitled to the money should have their personal debts forgiven and guaranteed an income of $97,000 for 250 years and $1 homes.
After two years of deliberation, the task force sent a final report and recommendations to the capital – where a decision on the matter will be made
Nearly one in four respondents had no opinion on reparations, while 29 percent said California is doing little
The Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies survey surveyed 6,030 registered voters in California online in English and Spanish between August 24 and 29.
Of those surveyed, 53 percent said that “it is not fair to single out one group for reparations when other racial and religious groups have been wronged in the past.”
Only 19 percent said their reason for opposing the proposal was that it cost too much, suggesting money was not the main issue.
Among Democrats, 43 percent were in favor and 41 percent against cash reparations, while Republicans were strongly against the proposal at 90 percent.
Despite widespread opposition to cash payments, 60 percent of respondents said they believed the legacy of slavery affects the position of the state’s black residents today.
Nearly one in four respondents had no opinion on reparations, while 29 percent said California is doing little.
Of those surveyed, 26 percent said the state was doing the right amount, while 22 percent said they were doing too much.
The Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies survey surveyed 6,030 registered California voters online in English and Spanish from August 24 to 29.
Democrat Congresswoman Cori Bush introduced a resolution in May to revive the push for federal reparations, suggesting the total amount would be at least $14 trillion.
The entire US GDP was $25 trillion in 2022 and currently has a debt burden of $31.4 trillion.
Lawmakers are currently engaged in difficult negotiations over where to cut budgets so they can raise the debt limit.