Latinos and blacks have faced obstacles to winning government contracts long before the stimulus. They own 6.8 and 5.2 percent of all businesses, respectively, according to census figures. Yet Latino-owned business have received only 1.7 percent of $46 billion in federal stimulus contracts recorded in U.S. government data, and black-owned businesses have received just 1.1 percent.
Figures from the Transportation Department on highway stimulus spending — at the heart of the government's effort to lift the economy — have further concerned advocacy groups.
Six percent of the $16.9 billion in Federal Highway Administration contract money spent by states has gone to disadvantaged business enterprises, which includes companies owned by minorities as well as women, veterans and the disabled, according to department press secretary Olivia Alair.
The founder and chief executive of one of the nation's largest black-owned construction companies, Richard Copeland of THOR Construction Inc., said minority-owned companies usually employ 60 percent minorities.
"If we can't get on these jobs," he said, "we can't hire our people from our community, so poverty and drugs and crime and unemployment and welfare become habitual." His company has done a small amount of weatherization work through Minnesota stimulus contracts.
He said many minority businesses can't develop the capability to do government work because a "good old boy" network shuts them out of contracts.
Copeland's company has its headquarters in Minneapolis, and has 200 full-time employees and offices in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, New Orleans and Atlanta. He said he abandoned highway work years ago to focus on erecting buildings.
"These big highway contractors try to keep you off the project, and when you get on, they try to make sure you don't come back," he said. "We hear about this all across the country."
9 comments:
I would like to see an american owned 7-11. Its a joke for an american to own a 7-11 anymore.
The funny part about an American owning a 7-11 is that if an American wants to own one, all they would have to do is buy it.
Stores and businesses are owned by the people willing to take the risk to operate in less than ideal locations and under less than ideal circumstances.
Most Americans (I being one) are looking for the easy big money route, rather than take less paying jobs, or rather than taking risks associated with anything that requires hard work and sacrifice.
If someone were to offer me a nice cushy office job making 6 figures right now...or take over a business that may require longer hours with a possibility of making 6 figures within 5-10 years...I think Id take the cushy office job.
As for the article on racism, in the cases where minority or business owned and operated companies do not get the job because of their status...then of course it is racism.
There are laws to protect them. However, many of the companies and persons that have been discriminated against do not press charges or take the cause to court. If more of the racists were held accountable for their actions then there would be a decrease in this type of behavior.
Also, if more minority owned businesses would apply for the contracts it would help.
I worked for a business that advertised for an upper level management position. Out of 30 people that were interviewed only 6 were minorities. Out of those 6 minorities only 1 was a candidate for hire. Unbelievable that 1 did not even show up for the second interview.
So alot of times the statistics show numbers but they dont tell the entire story.
There needs to be more American Owned/Operated minority businesses. But in order for that to happen people have to get out there, start their own businesses, work hard, take risks, and make sure that anyone who violates their rights is held accountable.
Giving someone a contract based on race is BS
Maybe the quality of work and what you get for the money you pay is not that good.
Oh wait that does not matter, you have to have those businesses because of the race thing it does not matter if someone does it cheaper or better, got to have the tokens.
God Bless America
Dee, foreigners don't have to pay taxes like an American on their business. Thank you liberal wacko's.
of course if the company is known to have shabby work or work ethics they should be denied the contract...NO MATTER WHAT RACE.
However to deny or to accept a business strictly based upon race is unfair. The laws were made to protect the minority businesses from discriminatory business practices that have been long time accepted as the norm. EVEN now in 2010 there is still racism in America.
No matter how much we would all like to forget about it. But, to say or even pretend it does not exist is just ridiculous.
Not all people are racist...unfortunately like anything else, a few bad apples spoil the whole bag.
To Ranger3325...did your company lose the job because you bid too high, or because it is not minority owned? OR---do you mean that because your company is not minority owned your bids are high?
They probably lost the bid because it was too high. Unfortunately some businesses bid low to get the job and take a loss...hoping to make up for it with more work (minority owned or not)
The fact is that "commercial affirmative action" was put in place because for far too long the "good ol boy" network really did work to keep blacks (and any other competition) locked out of the system. Can we say that this continues today? As I am not a contractor I couldn't tell you. But based on what I understand of this case minority firms have been excluded because many small companies (including minority co.) can't meet the stipulations that were designed to get this money out and to begin work quickly.
To me it boils down to:
1) Alot (not a majority) of whites would like to white-wash history or ignore any current racial sentiments in this country
2) Alot (not a majority) of blacks will either use race as a wedge to gain leverage (a strategic move) or they are overly sensitive regarding race.
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