Asheville, Buncombe reparations commission votes unanimously for guaranteed income

Gannett Joel Burgess, Asheville Citizen Times May 8, 2024 at 5:25 AM The Reparations Commission of Asheville held a Community Reparations Jamboree at Pack Square Park in Asheville, April 27, 2024. ASHEVILLE – The city and county reparations commission has voted unanimously for guaranteed income for some residents, handing that and other recommendations up to local elected officials. In a series of four votes at its May 6 meeting, the commission recommended guaranteed income and three other programs − the creation of an economic development center, paying for existing initiatives in historically Black neighborhoods and creating a Reparations Accountability Council. All are meant to help make up for slavery and years of discrimination toward Black residents and their ancestors − though it is still unclear who exactly will benefit because of legal issues that can limit race-based programs, city and county attorneys have said. “You have officially moved forward and voted on four of your recommendations. This deserves celebration,” said Vernisha Crawford, facilitator for the commission that has toiled to shape what reparations would look like since the City Council and Buncombe County Board of Commissioners approved them in historic votes in 2020. Making the motion to initiate the vote...