Newsom’s Reparations Push Draws Fire as Palisades Rebuild Lags

By We Are Americans, Sacramento, CA – October 11, 2025

In the shadow of California’s smoldering wildfire scars, Governor Gavin Newsom’s administration faces mounting accusations of misplaced priorities. Just nine months after the catastrophic Palisades Fire ravaged Pacific Palisades and surrounding Los Angeles neighborhoods—claiming five lives, torching over 10,000 structures, and displacing 50,000 residents—rebuilding efforts remain mired in red tape and underfunding. Critics, including Republican lawmakers and fire victims, argue that Newsom’s recent embrace of expansive reparations legislation signals a socialist-leaning agenda that sidelines urgent disaster recovery.

The Palisades Fire, ignited in January amid record Santa Ana winds, marked one of the state’s deadliest blazes in decades. Debris clearance hit 95% completion by July, a milestone Newsom touted as “nation’s fastest,” yet only 20% of affected homes have permits for reconstruction. Federal aid requests for $40 billion remain stalled in a polarized Congress, where President Trump’s allies have conditioned relief on policy concessions, including water management reforms. Local leaders like LA Mayor Karen Bass have issued executive orders to streamline permitting, but victims decry delays in insurance payouts and state grants, leaving families in temporary housing as winter approaches.

Enter Newsom’s reparations fervor. On October 10, the governor inked Assembly Bill 7, establishing a state agency to administer restitution for slavery’s descendants, capping a $12 million budget allocation for racial justice initiatives. This follows September signings of bills granting priority college admissions to Black applicants and apologies for California’s slavery complicity. Proponents hail it as historic atonement, but detractors—like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who labeled Newsom “criminally liable” for fire mismanagement—slam the timing as tone-deaf.

“It’s blood money from taxpayers while our homes rot,” fumed Palisades resident Maria Lopez, whose family lost everything. GOP senators probing the fire response echo this, probing whether budget cuts to firefighting—$100 million slashed pre-blaze—exacerbate the crisis. Newsom’s office counters that reparations and recovery are “complementary investments in equity and resilience,” with $2 billion already funneled to wildfire funds.

Yet as embers cool, the optics sting. In a state where wildfires cost $150 billion annually, Newsom’s dual track risks alienating moderates eyeing his 2028 presidential ambitions. “Equity can’t rebuild foundations,” quipped Assembly Republican Kevin Kiley. With another fire season looming, Californians demand action over apologies.

References:

1. https://www.gov.ca.gov/2025/07/07/six-months-after-the-la-fires-nations-fastest-residential-cleanup-nears-completion-as-governor-newsom-signs-streamlining-executive-order-joins-local-leaders-to-unveil-blueprint-for-rebuildi/
2. https://www.ksby.com/weather/fire-watch/california-governor-signs-bills-to-aid-los-angeles-wildfire-recovery-and-reform-disaster-response
3. https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/04/trump-newsom-california-wildfires/
4. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/gavin-newsom-approves-slavery-reparations-222006202.html
5. https://www.gov.ca.gov/2024/09/26/governor-newsom-signs-california-legislative-black-caucus-priority-bills-including-a-formal-bipartisan-apology-for-the-states-role-in-slavery/
6. https://www.newsweek.com/gavin-newsom-criminally-liable-fires-marjorie-taylor-greene-2012459
7. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fact-checks-newsom-california-wildfires/