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November 4, 2007

Minority Contracts

There’s been a recent uproar in Chicago over the lack of minority contracts given to African-Americans.

Currently, about 8 percent of contracts have been awarded to blacks. In layman’s terms that’s $96 million of the $1.2 billion awarded in city contracts.

In comparison, Latinos were awarded 17 percent of contracts, while Asians garnered an even lower number than African-Americans–only 5 percent.

Chicago’s mayor, Richard M. Daley, has responded by saying it isn’t discrimination that is leading to a low percentage of contracts for blacks. It’s that there aren’t enough black contractors to award the contracts to.

“Eight percent is unacceptable. Everybody knows that. [But, it’s because] there’s a lack of general contracting,” he said. 

It appears the lack of minority contracts isn’t confined to Chicago. Cities like Nashville and New York are also encountering similar problems.

posted to Politics @ 12:47 am

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