Gov. Bev Perdue's budget proposal contains a small amount of money that could start the process of providing financial reparations to people who were forcibly sterilized under a state-sanctioned eugenics program.
Perdue's budget doesn't recommend the actual payment of reparations, which would likely cost the state tens of millions of dollars. But the budget does propose spending $250,000 to begin setting up a foundation that, according to budget documents, would "provide justice and compensate victims" of North Carolina's sterilization program.
"Quite naturally, no, it's not enough, but we're very grateful and appreciative of the amount to get it started," said state Rep. Larry Womble, one of the legislature's biggest advocates on behalf of sterilization victims.
From 1929 until 1974, more than 7,600 people were sterilized under the state program. Most were young women who were classified -- sometimes inaccurately -- as mentally ill or mentally retarded. State officials estimate that 2,800 of the sterilization victims are still alive. The program was little known before 2002, when it was the subject of a series of articles in the Winston-Salem Journal.
Womble and Rep. Earline Parmon, two Democrats from Winston-Salem, have spent six years pushing for financial compensation for those victims. They have sponsored a bill this year that would spend $56 million in state money in order to provide $20,000 to each victim.
The bill's chances of passing this year are considered slim because the state is facing a projected shortfall of $3.4 billion in the 2009-10 budget year.
Perdue, a Democrat, is trying to cope with the shortfall by proposing major cuts throughout state government. Her budget proposal, which she released Tuesday, contains very few proposals for new spending, but the sterilization item is one. The foundation she is trying to establish is referred to as the Justice for Sterilization Victims Foundation.
Although $250,000 is a tiny amount compared to what Womble and Parmon want, they said that it is a good beginning.
"At least it's in the budget, and it will give us something to work forward on," Parmon said.
Perdue's budget plan now goes to the legislature, which will make changes over the next few months. "This is just the first step along that long road of trying to make these people whole again," Womble said.
■ James Romoser can be reached at 919-210-6794 or at jromoser@wsjournal.com.
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