Denver City Councilwoman Candi CdeBaca is suggesting a new tax on white-owned businesses to fund racial reparations to minority-owned businesses.
CdeBaca advocated for race-based taxation, which would almost certainly prompt constitutional challenges, at a Thursday forum before the Greater Metro Denver Ministerial Alliance.
CdeBaca faces a June 6 runoff to represent District 9. Her challenger, Darrel Watson, said he also supports racial reparations in the form of private business investment in underserved communities.
“Capitalism was built on stolen land, stolen labors, and stolen resources,” said CdeBaca, who identifies as a Democratic Socialist.
CdeBaca said a business improvement district, or BID, could be used to enact a race-based tax on white-owned businesses.