Chicago lawmakers this week have voted 8-1 to approve using taxes from recreational marijuana sales towards a local reparations program.
According to the Pioneer Press, the money will go toward job training and other benefits for Evanston’s black population.
“We can implement funding to directly invest in black Evanston,” remarked Ald. Robin Rue Simmons, who proposed the reparations bill.
According to Simmons, the source of the funds was especially appropriate, citing the “war on drugs” has led to increased incarceration rates among African-Americans, and many for marijuana-related offenses.
The Pioneer Press has also reported that supporters say the program would help address discrimination and the lingering effects of slavery.
The fund will have a cap of $10 million, while the city estimates that the taxes from recreational marijuana sales could generate between $500,000 and $750,000 annually.
