The Virginian-Pilot
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Gov. Bob McDonnell has announced a new advisory board to revamp the state's procurement programs for small businesses and those owned by women and minorities.
The Governor's Supplier Diversity Advisory Board is scheduled to meet for the first time today. The group includes small-business owners, state procurement officers and legislators.
McDonnell's office said small businesses account for 75 percent of new job growth in Virginia. Lisa M. Hicks-Thomas, the secretary of administration, will serve as the board's chairwoman.
The members so far include state Del. Kenneth Alexander, a Norfolk Democrat who owns Metropolitan Funeral Service; John Biagas of Newport News, president and CEO of Bay Electric Co.; W. Christopher Harvey of Virginia Beach, vice president of hotel development at Armada Hoffler; Cecil Hobbs, executive vice president of TowneBank; Ida McPherson of Suffolk, director of the Virginia Department of Minority Business Enterprise; Del. Ron Villanueva, a Beach Republican and executive vice president of SEK Solutions; and Mark Whitaker of Portsmouth, associate professor at Hampton University and member of the Portsmouth School Board. More appointments are expected.
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Don't discriminate!
It's fine to make sure contracting programs are open to all, that bidding opportunities are widely publicized beforehand, and that no one gets discriminated against because of skin color, national origin, or sex. But that means no preferences because of skin color, etc. either--whether it's labeled a "set-aside," a "quota," or a "goal," since they all end up amounting to the same thing. Such discrimination is unfair and divisive; it costs the taxpayers money to award a contract to someone other than the lowest bidder; and it's almost always illegal-indeed, unconstitutional-to boot (see 42 U.S.C. section 1981 and this model brief: http://community.pacificlegal.org/Page.aspx?pid=1342 ). Those who insist on engaging in such discrimination deserve to be sued, and they will lose. I hope state attorney general Ken Cuccinelli will be keeping an eye on these folks.
Who owns it
Who owns it should be completely irrelevant. Any revamp should include removal of all racism and sexism from the selection process.
What?
Good ole boys whining again that they are, after all, not the rulers of the roost and get all the business while elbowing others out with a grin of superiority?
Where are the armies of Tea Party Posters wailing in protest...
... with their everpresent "gubmint pandering to minorities" posts and the like when any story involving minorities and government runs on this site? Where are the dozens of posts demanding a "Supplier Advisory Board for White People"? Surely the fact that the Governor's office is occupied by a Republican has no bearing on the lack of posts. So what could it be? Have the spoon-fed Teaple overindulged on ACorn, New Black Panthers, Cordova house, and Shirley Sherrod minority stories from Fauxnews that they have no stomach for consistency?
I guess 8 years...
...of Warner/Kaine left you this bewildered and hateful. Kaine could have done just the same but instead was more worried about his lucrative position as Chairman of the DNC. You forgot to mention the NAACP by the way...
Paul - if you dont know what i'm referring to....
... than you are either ignorant or lying. Neither is appealing trait.
Just a small sampling of the vitriol from the Teaple when...
... a story has a minority related topic runs in the paper. Read the comments. Its absolutely reflexive. In fact, these types of stories usually garner the most posts. But its nothing but crickets on this thread. Makes me wonder if the usual suspects are giving BM a pass.
http://hamptonroads.com/2009/05/norfolk-firerescue-works-recruit-more-women-minorities?cid=srch
http://hamptonroads.com/node/138021?cid=srch
http://hamptonroads.com/2010/02/black-representation-issue-after-beach-council-pick?page=6&CFID=6640543&CFTOKEN=83628337&cid=srch
http://hamptonroads.com/2009/11/portsmouth-awards-contract-build-simonsdale?cid=srch
http://hamptonroads.com/2009/08/race-revisions-put-portsmouth-school-line-federal-goals?cid=srch
That's because
That's because it's down in the business section and not a headline, genius.
Hurrah!
"McDonnell’s office says that small businesses account for 75 percent of new job growth in Virginia. "
Someone FINALLY realizes this!