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Letters: One Reader's View

Hire more minority contractors

The Mayor's Commission on Construction Industry Diversity recently held its first public hearing to take testimony on economic discrimination in Philadelphia.

Most of the commission's work will focus on workforce utilization. Somewhat obscured in the process is the fact that employment is only one part of economic participation. Diversity in business contracting matters as well - if not more.

Ironically, Econsult Corp. is advising the commission on workforce utilization, but is also advising the city on diversity in contracting businesses.

Pursuant to Title 17 of the Philadelphia Code, an annual disparity study and contract participation goals must be submitted to the mayor and City Council regarding business diversity plans for the next fiscal year.

The overall hiring of disadvantaged business enterprises, as documented in a disparity study conducted by Econsult, actually declined from 22.8 percent in fiscal year 2006 to 20.8 percent in 2007 - the last full fiscal year of the Street administration.

Needless to say, the charter amendment I sponsored that required the annual report has given us critical information related to business diversity in city contracting.

But we still await a "new day" that ensures better contract participation by minority companies in the roughly $600 million paid annually by the city to for-profit businesses for goods and services.

W. Wilson Goode Jr.

City Councilman at large

Philadelphia