State Tax Problems

Denver Councilwoman Proposes Tax on White-Owned Businesses

Denver Councilwoman Proposes Tax on White-Owned Businesses

Denver City Councilwoman Candi CdeBaca (District 9) has proposed a new tax on white-owned businesses. 

CdeBaca asserted that any funds raised from this proposed tax should be used to pay racial reparations to minority-owned businesses. She brought up the notion of race-based taxation last week before the Greater Metro Denver Ministerial Alliance.

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Credit: Jeremy Poland/Getty Images

Denver's NBC affiliate, Channel 9 News, noted that CdeBaca wants the tax to be imposed by way of a business improvement district (BID).

The United States Department of Transportation explains that BIDs are defined geographic areas in which businesses are required to pay an additional tax in order to supplement public services. These districts are typically private directed and publicly sanctioned. 

CdeBaca, told the Ministerial Alliance, “Capitalism was built on stolen land, stolen labors, and stolen resources.” 

Another recent article about the situation noted that backlash against CdeBaca's idea unsurprisingly "came quickly"on social media.

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Credit: Davel5957/Getty Images

Colorado Politics noted that Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, who has been in his post since 2011, has previously called CdeBaca "someone who wants to just try to be disruptive."

“This is a reckless and irresponsible proposal, the details of which have not been shared, and ignorant of the reforms we have already undertaken in Public Safety,” Hancock said of CdeBaca policies related to the Denver police force on Friday, May 5. “City Council should reject it soundly, and the Councilwoman should exercise greater transparency and public accountability before putting something of this magnitude forward for a vote again instead of springing it on the public.”

Per NBC, CdeBaca, a Democratic Socialist, has a June 6 runoff election for her City County seat. Her challenger, Darrel Watson, is also a supporter of racial reparation, though he favors private business investment in low-income neighborhoods.

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Credit: Anita Warren-Hampson/Getty Images

He has not specifically stated that he would approve of a tax on white-owned establishments.

What do you think about CdeBaca's plan?

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Rebekah Barton

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