$10M in ARP funds went to Providence ‘reparations’ commission pushing for bail fund, K-12 racism curriculum
Fox News
Taxpayers funds from Biden's ARP helped create a "reparations" commission that is pushing for a bail bond fund and K-12 curriculum reform in Providence, Rhode Island.
After $166 million in ARP funds was awarded to Providence, Democratic Mayor Jorge Elorza signed a budget ordinance into law this year that funneled the majority of those funds – over $123 million – into categories that center racial "equity and resiliency" due to the "disproportionate impacts of COVID-19 on vulnerable and frontline communities," according to the Providence Rescue Plan website. Elorza’s budget allocated over $13 million specifically toward "racial equity" and $10 million of that went toward creating the Providence Municipal Reparations Commission. Jessica Chasmar is a digital writer on the politics team for Fox News and Fox Business. Story tips can be sent to Jessica.Chasmar@fox.com.
In August, the reparations commission released a report with a list of recommendations for the $10 million budget, but it stopped short of recommending cash payments to residents of color impacted by slavery, as reparations are typically defined. Instead, it said reparations are any measures that close the "present-day racial wealth and equity gaps."