A Denver councilwoman facing a runoff election in June said white business owners must pay for the sins of slavery.
At a business forum, Kandi KdeBaka, a Democratic Socialist, said business improvement districts could be the first to receive a race-based tax. reported via 9News. A business improvement district is governed by local business owners, residents and local government officials and can receive additional tax increases that are then redistributed within a specific geographic area, according to at the US Department of Transportation.
Denver City Councilwoman Kandi KdeBaka, who is running for re-election, said white businesses should be taxed more and redistributed to black businesses. pic.twitter.com/s9JhSdAmtj
— TikTok Libs (@libsoftiktok) May 5, 2023
“Capitalism was built on stolen land, stolen labor and stolen resources,” CdeBaca told the Greater Metro Denver Ministerial Alliance. 9 News reported. “You can collect these additional taxes from white businessmen throughout the city and redistribute them to black and brown businesses.
Although the tax levy is earmarked to help underserved businesses, the tax cannot be applied based on the color of an individual’s skin. That would be illegal under federal law, but the 37-year-old said the plan would not be illegal because the taxes levied are “voluntary.”
A spokesperson for the Denver Department of Finance told 9 News that is not true.
“Owners of non-residential property assessed in the BID are required to pay additional taxes/fees,” spokeswoman Courtney Miles said. “It’s not arbitrary.”
CdeBaca’s footage went viral after it was picked up on the Libs of TikTok page, garnering over 4 million views. Critics said the proposal was far-fetched.
“This is the third time CdeBaca has been targeted by a white nationalist mob and it is part of a concerted plan to harass, intimidate and silence progressive and especially marginalized communities,” CdeBaca’s office said. in a written statement.
But black inner-city neighborhoods are not the only disadvantaged communities. The Appalachian Regional Commission estimates that 38.6% of Appalachian counties — mostly white — are struggling economically. These disadvantages include increased geographic isolation, less public transportation, and fewer medical check-ups and doctors. reported In an article from the National Library of Medicine.
CdeBaca attributes its idea to the San Francisco Legacy Business Program. Since 2015, the program has redistributed funds to underserved communities, but the funding is not solely from taxing white businesses.
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