California Puts $12 Million Slice of Budget Into Reparations

A newly announced budget agreement between California Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders includes $12 million to begin implementation of recommendations issued last year by the state’s reparations task force. Supporters said the money is a step in the right direction. “I know it’s a start, not enough,” one reparations organizer posted June 23 on X. “Specifically, this shows that … we can spend money for reparations while fixing our budget deficit and … that state budgets can be used to fund reparations.” The plan would allow the state’s director of finance to use the money to “augment” certain departments—including potentially hiring people—to comply with legislation currently under consideration....