Public Building Commission Memo Lets CPS Contractors Off Hook On Hiring Black Contractors Even in Majority Black communities?

Recently, our legendary 90 year old Black business icon Ed Gardner attended a Public Building Commission meeting and publicly challenged PBC Chairman Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and other members that Black community contractors and Black workers should make up at least half of the contracting in over $200 Million dollars that being allocated for work on Chicago Public School buildings in majority Black communities (see news link) Black community contractors should be able to work on the work on the school buildings where they live, but its going to be a serious challenge, and one we need to immediately hear the public position from Mayor Emanuel, other PBC members, CPS CEO Barbara Byrd Bennett and our collective Black community leadership. With double digit unemployment in the Black community, and with Black contractors not getting their fair share of contracts in the city in general and in the Black community in particular, is the PBC about to direct those awarded contracts to repair schools in majority Black communities NOT to have representation of Black contractors and workers in majority Black communities??

http://www.suntimes.com/news/cityhall/19380322-418/ed-gardner-black-contractors-should-get-half-of-the-cps-schools-renovation-work.html

Mayor Emanuel IMMEDIATELY needs to get on top on an alleged secret memo from a Public Building Commissioner administrator to various contractors who were awarded the over $200 Million in GC contracts for the public school improvements that no contractor will be penalized for NOT meeting local goals of ensuring Black community contractors and workers!! REALLY? So with unemployment in double digits in the Black community and with The Mayor's public pledge to help increase Black community contracts the PBC is about to allow over $200 million to be awarded to repair schools in majority Black communities with NO penalties for NOT having fair share for Black community contractors and workers?

marksallen2800@aol.com
Chairman, National Black Wall Street Chicago
(Rev Willie T. Barrow Consumer Education and Consumer Action Project)
Founder and Lead Organizer, Illinois Voter Restoration Project
Chief of Staff to National Chairman, National Black Wall Street USA
"And The Ordinary People Said" News Blog, www.chicagonow.com
Member, Community Reinvestment Organizing Project
4655 South King Drive, Suite 203
Chicago, Illinois 60653
773-268-6900 or direct 773-392-0165
The Rev. Al Sharpton calls Mark Allen "one of Chicago's legendary political activists and one of the best organizers of his generation"

Forum/Discussions