BUPPIE | BUSINESS Reparations: San Diego Tax Code Discussion Was Preamble to Task Force Meeting in Sac This Week

By Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

Two tax planning lawyers shared their perspectives on one of the ways to pay for the racial injustices suffered by Black Californians with the California Task Force to Study and Develop Reparations Proposals for African Americans.

At the task force’s last two-day meeting held in San Diego on Jan. 27 and Jan. 28, the estate and tax planning attorneys Raymond “Ray” Odom and Sarah Moore-Johnson proposed several options to the ninemember task force for funding reparations through the federal tax code system -including an estate tax as a means to increase racial equity.

The tax discussion, held about a month ago, was as a lead-in to the task force’s next meeting in Sacramento focused on compensation and titled “Redressing the Harms Delineated in Report 1.” That meeting will be held Friday, March 3 and Saturday March 4 at the Byron Sher Auditorium at the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) Headquarters, beginning at 9 a.m. both days.

Moore-Johnson kicked off her presentation at the San Diego meeting during a panel titled “The Forgotten 40 Acres: Repairing Wealth Disparity

Using the Estate Tax and New Charitable Incentives.” She said, “the tax code has incentivized White wealth building for years,” and that she and Odom have now found a way to redistribute wealth through tax exemptions at the state level.

“For years, Ray and I intuitively understood that if we could harness those tax incentives to create a public-private partnership to help fund reparations we could get our wealthy clients to willingly enthusiastically embrace using their own money to pay for reparations,” MooreJohnson said. “We believe that tax deductions should be allowed for private contributions to racial repair because individual taxpayers would be paying a debt of the federal or state government on the government’s behalf,” MooreJohnson said.

Potential revenue sources, the attorneys say, could be the state estate tax, mansion tax, graduate property tax, and metaverse tax.

Johnson mentioned that the graduate property tax revenue would not apply to California because of Proposition 13, a law that restricts increases in the state tax code.

Odom and Moor-Johnson’s presentation was a condensed introduction to the wealth disparity resulting from chattel slavery and Jim Crow law and the connection to wealth transfer and wealth taxation. Odom, however, emphasized that their idea to use the tax code is intentional but it is not a manipulation of the federal tax system.

“I really think that it is so important to set the narrative -- and that narrative isn’t around who’s getting something for nothing, but what we are going to do about this gross wealth disparity,” Odom said. “We need to solve this problem for all Americans, but especially for Black Americans.”

Odom – a Chicago estate and tax planning attorney who works at Northern Trust and conducts racial wealth disparity speaking engagements across the country – is a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC). He is one of five Black tax attorneys among ACTEC’s 2,500 fellows.

Established in Los Angeles in 1949, ACTEC is a nonprofit association of lawyers and law professors skilled and experienced in the preparations of wills and trusts; estate planning; and probate procedure and management of trusts and estates of the deceased, minors and helpless.

Odom and Moore Johnson explained that the racial wealth gap started to expand in 1981 when Ronald Reagan was in office and the biggest tax cut in history took place. Odom said reparations would be an opportunity to replace “swollen wealth” with the “stolen wealth” of Black people.

Moore-Johnson, an estate planning lawyer and a founding partner at Birchstone Moore in Washington DC, became president of the Washington, DC, Estate Planning Council three weeks after George Floyd was murdered in 2020. She is also an ACTEC fellow.

In March of 2021, during a national ACTEC meeting, Odom and Johnson came up with the idea of funding reparations for slavery through the estate tax. They started their research to better understand the history of slavery, postslavery, reparations and the wealth gap. Through their research, the duo learned that the racial wealth gap exists, partly, because of the way the federal tax code is set up.

Task force member Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) stated that the tax attorney’s recommendations provided a “clear road map” to reparations.

“All that said, I think it’s comforting, informative and powerful,” Bradford said after the tax attorneys’ presentation. “As a legislator, the takeaway is, we can afford it. This is a debt that’s owed.”

Dorothy A. Brown addressed the task force by teleconference and shared her views about reparations and the tax code. She is a tax professor at Georgetown Law and the author of the book “The Whiteness of Wealth: How the Tax System Impoverishes Black Americans and How We Can Fix It.”

Brown’s literature goes to the core of how the complex federal tax system disadvantages the Black community and how it has helped White households secure more solid financial standing.

“Our tax laws as written have a racially disparate impact. Black Americans are less likely to gain access to their tax breaks than their White peers receive,” Brown said. “Therefore, (Black Americans) are more likely to pay higher taxes than their White peers.”

Brown told the task force that she supports a “wealth tax credit applicable to all taxpayers and households,” which would serve the majority of Black people and be available to all “regardless of race and ethnicity.”

“I want to be clear that I’m not providing tax advice or guidance for providing a possible analysis of any reparations payments,” Brown said. “I leave it to your tax council (economic experts) to make a final determination that you would rely upon moving forward.”

Continued from page 1: Gloria Gray...

Committee.

Moreover, her expansive resume includes being appointed by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to serve on a water quality Community Task Force in 2009, which is part of the County’s Clean Water, Clean Beaches Initiative to address pollution in our local waterways that include rivers, lakes, bays, beaches, and coastal waters. Gray, an Inglewood resident, was elected to the Inglewood Unified School District Board of Education in 1995 and served as President for two terms.

In April 2010, Gray was also appointed to the Delta Stewardship Council by former Assembly Speaker Karen Bass and served a four-year term. She served through July 2014 and was the first African-American and African-American woman to serve on the Council. In 2011, she met with state stakeholders and suggested the Delta Council hold public forums to gain broader knowledge in order to develop a comprehensive Delta Plan. She was also invited and made presentations on the status of the Delta Plan and water resources management to the Association of California Water Agencies, Southern California Water Committee, Urban Water Institute, Council for Watershed Health, Los Angeles African American Public Policy Institute, California Latino Water Coalition Delta Summit, Leadership Southern California and Water Environment Federation Technical Conference.

Continued from page 1: The Importance ..

In May 2012, she was confirmed by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors as a member of the Oversight Commission for the dissolution of the City of Carson Redevelopment Agency. In 2013, Gray was recruited by the White House Obama Administration to interview for a Cabinet position in the Department of the Interior.

“As your next council member, I assure you that I will be an INDEPENDENT-ACTIVE VOICE and RELENTLESS ADVOCATE for DISTRICT 1. I believe my years of policy and budget management will help me to best represent the shared values of hard-working everyday families. I will stay engaged to identify issues, assess the needs of the district and be accountable and accessible to all residents,” Gray stated in her pitch to voters.

She added; “My experiences as a former Healthcare Administrator, School Board member, and currently Water Board Director along with my education, experience and leadership skills give me the background to serve effectively.”

“I will fight to preserve our quality of life while leading us towards a better future. As an Inglewood resident for over 30 years, I will always strive to keep our neighborhoods safe, attractive, and prosperous. I respectfully ask for your vote to serve you and continue to advance our great community.”

George Dotson has represented District 1 since 2013 and has the backing of Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts, Jr.

Public Notice

Fictitious Business Name Statement

File No. 2023026533

The following Person is doing business as:

Compassion Elevated Therapy

10736 Jefferson Blvd., #1127 Culver City, CA 90230

Registered Owner(s): Jetena McGhee, 10736 Jefferson Blvd., #1127, Culver City, CA 90230

This business is conducted by an individual(s). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the fictitious business listed above on February 6, 2023.

I (We) declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime.)

Jetena McGhee, Owner.

This statement was filed with the County Clerk on February 6, 2023

NOTICE-In accordance with Subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a Fictitious Name Statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the County Clerk, except as provided in Subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A New Fictitious Business Name Statement must be filed before the expiration.

The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a Fictitious Business Name in violation of the rights of another under Federal, State or common law (See Section 14411 et.seq., Business and Professions Code.)

Original

February 9, 16, 23; March 2, 2023

IT0042230120020367 Inglewood Today

Public Notice

Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2023009321

The following Person is doing business as:

The Williams Healing Company Will Heal Co 1011 North Chester Avenue, A Inglewood, CA 90302

Registered Owner(s): Janee Williams, 1011 North Chester Avenue A, Inglewood, CA 90302

This business is conducted by an individual(s). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the fictitious business listed above on January 13, 2023

I (We) declare that all information in this statement is true and correct.

(A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime.)

Janee Williams, Owner.

This statement was filed with the County Clerk on January 13, 2023

NOTICE-In accordance with Subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a Fictitious Name Statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the County Clerk, except as provided in Subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A New Fictitious Business Name Statement must be filed before the expiration.

The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a Fictitious Business Name in violation of the rights of another under Federal, State or common law (See Section 14411 et.seq., Business and Professions Code.)

Original February 16, 23; March 2, 9, 2023

IT0042230120020367

Inglewood Today

Public Notice

Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2023038205

The following Person is doing business as:

GOTTA GO CARS 15123 Cranbrook Ave.

Lawndale, CA 90260

Registered Owner(s): Joel Alarcon, 15123 Cranbrook Ave., Lawndale, CA 90260 something affordable to eat, they weren’t the nicest, or most accommodating to our demographic. So, becoming an adult and seeing Hilltop, excited me so much. The place that once was so dark and unwelcoming became a staple to me, the neighborhood, and the creative community.

Sip & Sonder has a mellower vibe. It is for studying and working, while also grabbing a cafe drink from their coffee bar and enjoying one of their delicious pastries. Their vibe is quieter and a little on the dimmer side. It allows for focus and individual work to be done. The peace in this place is unmatched and they are open from 7:30 am-5:00 pm.

Sip & Sonder is located on the iconic Market Street behind the Inglewood

Swap-meet, which as an Inglewood baby is just as iconic to me. I remember being a child and seeing this place filled with all types of black-owned businesses, hair schools, uniform stores, and boutiques. So, to be able to experience the new waves of blackowned businesses in these spaces, even with all the changes and the demographic of residents being different, and usually not from California makes a native like me so happy to witness.

My favorite thing to get at Sip & Sonder is a Rose Matcha latte with a splash of vanilla and honey. It is so warm and soothing and makes me feel like I am drinking self-love in a cup. My favorite pastry to grab here is a cinnamon roll and a croissant out of their pastry case. But you must come early in the morning to get a pastry as by mid-day they are sold out or down to a couple of them left.

Being able to experience blackowned creative lounges in the city that I grew up in. It does something amazing for the kid in me. I am so happy that this generation of adults and teens gets to experience such a space to plan, execute, work, and build on their dreams. I’ve seen everybody from writers to artists, to people in tech, to people with non-profits. We all come to these spaces and build on our dreams, plan what we want our business to be, and just thrive as creatives. I am so happy that these spaces exist especially in my backyard. May we continue to see more of these spaces not only in Inglewood but across the world.

This business is conducted by an individual(s). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the fictitious business listed above on February 21, 2023

I (We) declare that all information in this statement is true and correct.

(A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime.)

Joel Alarcon, Owner.

This statement was filed with the County Clerk on February 21, 2023

NOTICE-In accordance with Subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a Fictitious Name Statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the County Clerk, except as provided in Subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A New Fictitious Business Name Statement must be filed before the expiration.

The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a Fictitious Business Name in violation of the rights of another under Federal, State or common law (See Section 14411 et.seq., Business and Professions Code.)

Original February 23; March 2, 9, 16, 2023

IT0042230120020368 Inglewood Today