New York is establishing a commission to come up with an estimate for slavery reparations. Governor Kathy Hochul signed the bill creating the commission into law on Tuesday.
“In New York, we like to think we’re on the right side of this. Slavery was a product of the South, the Confederacy,” said Hochul, a Democrat. “What is hard to embrace is the fact that our state also flourished from that slavery. It’s not a beautiful story, but indeed it is the truth.”
New York, which abolished slavery in 1827, follows California, which entered the U.S. as a free state, in establishing its slavery task force.
State Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt spoke out against the commission, noting the “reparations of slavery were paid with the blood and lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans who fought to end slavery during the Civil War.”
“A divisive commission to consider reparations in unworkable,” he argued, predicting an “astronomical cost” for a policy that “will only further divide our state.”
New York City is already facing enormous pressure on its budget due to the ongoing migrant crisis, with the Big Apple playing host to tens of thousands of migrants and Mayor Eric Adams predicting the influx will “destroy” the Big Apple if it continues.
show lessA divisive commission to consider reparations is unworkable. As we’ve seen in California, I am confident this commission's recommendations will be unrealistic, will come at an astronomical cost to all New Yorkers, and will only further divide our state.
Full Statement: pic.twitter.com/jA3FKGxWvp
— Rob Ortt (@SenatorOrtt) December 19, 2023
