As a Premier Organization we were excited to support HB 1960 The Black Wall Street Act and thank everyone for supporting our efforts.  The Black Wall Street Act was passed by the Illinois House but is now rightfully being held in Senate Committee for amendments.  This Act could aid and assist Black-African American Communities throughout the state of Illinois however there are major oversights in the House Bill that don't support the short description of the bill.  The Black Wall Street Program doesn’t address the need of all Black-African American communities throughout the state of Illinois due to the 70% Black-African American population guideline that disqualifies over 20 communities with disparities and Black Business Districts.  There is a number of other policy issues essential to Black Communities that the bill does not address.

For the sake of clarity, many of your concerns were the previous funding excitement over legislation promising to fund Black – African American communities or businesses and even allocating the funds only to “discover” none of the Black – African American entities qualified for the program.  The current format of the House Bill will only qualify approximately 10 Black-African American Municipalities across the state. 

These dollars are continue to be rerouted and/or reassigned over time if ever allocated unless we continue to be active in the entire process.  It is imperative that funding policies claiming to be for the benefits of Black-African American communities are designed to actually speak to their needs and a process is put in place that will have positive systemic impacts.  Also that the Black Business Districts be included as regional plans by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning “CMAP” On To 2050 Regional Plans so economic studies translate into economic growth and sustainability in those communities and not just for the use of statistical data. CMAP is a government designated planning organization for Cook, Dupage, Kane, Kendall, lake, McHenry and Will County.

Therefore, is IBWS-BWSI suggestion that the Bill HB1960 stays in committee for amendments but not be included in the 2021 Fall Veto Session or become dormant and not serving the underserved for which it was intended.