Reparations: Experts Compute Hundreds of Billions Owed to Black Californians

By Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

Economists advising The California Task Force to Study and Develop Reparations Proposals for African Americans have developed economic formulas that project the reparations owed to Black Californians who are descendants of people enslaved in the United States are likely to exceed $800 billion.

Three of five harms were used in the calculations conducted by a five-member panel of economic experts: health, disproportionate housing discrimination, Black mass incarceration and over policing are “from a long list of harms” the state “is a least partially responsible for,” said Dr. Thomas Craemer, a professor of public policy at the University of Connecticut and one of the experts involved in the assessment.

Craemer spoke last week at the task force’s 14th meeting held in Sacramento on March 29 and 30. The figures also applies to forebears who survived legal segregation, Jim Crow discrimination and other social and economic injustices.

“These are harms for which we thought that we’d have data, that’s one criterion,” said Craemer. “The other is that they are closely related to the actions of the state of California to make our estimates more defensible in the face of challenges that will undoubtedly arrive once the proposal is made public.”

The economic experts’ analysis and final recommendations for the Task Force regarding calculations of reparations and forms of compensation and restitution were presented by Craemer and Dr. William Spriggs.

Spriggs appeared remotely in front of the task force. He is the former chair of the Department of Economics at Howard University. He now serves as chief economist to the AFL-CIO.

The health harm calculations were determined by the annual loss to “Black, non- able to play the way that he’s capable of, whether it was the things that he dealt with, some of the surrounding parts, missing a lot of time leading up into the season with some of the injuries and just different things that he was working through. So I think there’s a lot of guys on our team that will have a renewed sense of urgency and appreciation for just getting back out and competing, and he’s certainly one of those guys. We’re a lot better football team with him going.”

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When healthy last year, Stafford completed 206 of 303 pass attempts for 2,087 yards with 10 touchdowns against eight interceptions. When he started all 17 regular season games and all four of Los Angeles’ ensuing playoff games in their Super Bowl LVI-winning 2021 season, he completed 404 of 601 pass attempts for 4,886 yards with 41 touchdowns against 17 interceptions. His passing yards broke Kurt Warner’s single-season franchise record, while his touchdown total tied Warner’s single-season franchise record.

To McVay’s point about it being a long time since Stafford was healthy through an offseason: Prior to the elbow situation, Stafford dealt with a thumb injury from hitting his throwing hand on the helmet of a defensive player during 2021 training camp – though he brushed it off and was a full participant in practice the next day.

“It’ll be nice,” Stafford said back in January, when asked what going into OTAs healthy does for him. “I had obviously the thumb a couple years ago, then elbow stuff that I wasn’t able to really participate in a whole lot of stuff when it comes to throwing the football for a long time. So to be able to do that in a way more regular pace, which is exciting for me as a player, that’s what I want to do. I want to be out there. I want to be able to throw and be a part of the team and do all that kind of stuff. So that’s exciting for me.”

NOTICE OF INTENT TO FILE A NEGATIVE DECLARATION

Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act, a Negative Declaration has been prepared on the belowreferenced program, on the basis that said program will not have a significant effect on the environment.

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Dinner

Honoring Joe Stephenshaw

Last week, California Black Media hosted a reception honoring Department of Finance (DOF) Director Joe Stephenshaw.

A number of state lawmakers, public officials, Black news publishers, journalists and others attended the event co-hosted by the California Black Freedom fund and held at the Prelude Kitchen & Bar in downtown Sacramento.

“For us, this is one of those moments we deeply treasure when the leaders of the Black Press in California get to officially welcome, celebrate and interact with a top thought leader and decisionmaker in state government in an environment that is intimate and welcoming – no spotlights, no cameras, no fanfare,” said Regina Wilson, Executive Director, California Black Media.

We exchanged ideas and talked freely about our challenges as we got an firsthand view into how our government is deploying our tax dollars in ways that directly impact the lives of the communities we serve,” Wilson added. “We look forward to working more closely with Joe and the Newsom administration on priorities that advance equity for Black Californians.

Last year, Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Stephenshaw to the DOF role. In January, he made his first annual budget presentation as the state’s chief fiscal officer alongside the governor.

Project Homekey is a state government initiative that aims to quickly provide shelter to individuals experiencing homelessness. To date, it has successfully provided shelter for nearly 12,800 formerly unhoused individuals across the state.

Rep. Lee Releases Statement on Trump Indictment

After a New York grand jury reportedly indicted former President Donald J. Trump on more than 30 counts of business fraud last week, Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA-12) said she hopes the action was the “beginning of our justice system holding him and all involved in these crimes accountable.”

“This is the first time a former President has been indicted in American history, and this is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Trump’s alleged crimes—before, during, and after his one term as President,” said Lee who is a outspoken progressive known for her Left-leaning political stances and candidate in the competitive race to replace Sen. Dianne Feinstein in the November General Election.

“No one is above the law,” emphasized Lee, the highest ranking African American woman in the United States House of Representatives.

Gov. Newsom Calls U.S. House Speaker McCarthy “Coward”

In a tweet last week, California Gov. Gavin Newsom called U.S. House

Copies of the

Declaration for this program are available for review at the West Basin Municipal Water District offices located at 17140 South Avalon Blvd., in the City of Carson (310) 217-2411. Anyone wishing to comment on this program may do so prior to April 24, 2023. All comments should be directed to the Acting Board Secretary, at West Basin Municipal Water District’s office. Gregory Reed

General Manager West Basin Municipal Water District of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA-20) a coward.

Newsom made the comment in a caption when he shared a video of the highest-ranking Republican member of Congress refusing to respond to a reporter’s questions about the mass shooting at a Nashville private school that claimed the lives of three adults and three 9-year-old students.

Report: Black Students Among Students With Highest Absenteeism Rates

The Public Policy Institute of California is reporting that absenteeism is on the rise among all students in California, and Black children are among the top sub-groups of kids who miss school the most.

Absenteeism rose substantially for nearly all student groups. However, we do see variation across demographic dimensions. Among racial/ethnic groups, Black, Native American, and Pacific Islander students experienced the highest rates of chronic absenteeism, exceeding 40% in 2021–22,” the report reads.

The California Legislature Is on Spring Recess

Look out for listings of your state lawmakers’ local townhall meetings in your city or a nearby town. On March 31, the California Legislature adjourned for its Spring Recess. Members are expected to return to Sacramento on or before April 10 when the Legislature reconvenes.