The Birmingham City Council on Tuesday unanimously passed an ordinance that makes minority inclusion a necessary part of every municipal request for proposals and all city-awarded contracts.
City Councilor Steven Hoyt, who has made minority inclusion his political platform, amended the proposed ordinance on Tuesday’s agenda to remove language “encouraging a minimum of 27 percent minority business participation.” That percentage would have invited lawsuits that, in the past decade, have successfully overturned so-called minority set-asides; high courts have generally ruled them unconstitutional.
UPDATED: The First 100: The Times joins in on the act
The Birmingham Times that is – in the public discourse taking place throughout the media regarding Mayor Langford’s proposed tax increases. Johnnie Wyatt adds his voice to the conversation (and don’t assume you automatically know what that voice is saying, either) and even invites you to contact him about your thoughts at the end of his piece in this week’s Birmingham Times.
We’d just love it if you’d share a few of those thoughts with us as well (after you check out his piece).
UPDATE – 10:05 p.m., 11.30.2007; links changed to direct readers to current location of story.
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