City of Philadelphia - File #: 020696

• File #: 020696
• Version: 0
• Type: Resolution
• Status: ADOPTED
• File created: 10/31/2002
• In control: Committee on Commerce & Economic Development
• Title: Authorizing City Council's Committee on Commerce and Economic Development to investigate and hold public hearings on the underutilization of Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) and on the underemployment of women, disabled and minority residents of the City of Philadelphia on local construction projects and city procurement contracts, and further authorizing the Committee to issue subpoenas and such other process as may be appropriate to compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of documents in furtherance of the investigation to the full extent authorized by Section 2-401 of the Home Rule Charter.
• Sponsors: Councilmember Ortiz, Councilmember Nutter, Councilmember Reynolds Brown, Councilmember Goode, Councilmember Kenney, Councilmember Tasco, Councilmember Cohen, Councilmember Miller, Councilmember Blackwell, Councilmember Mariano, Councilmember Rizzo, Councilmember O'Neill, Councilmember Clarke, Councilmember DiCicco

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result	Tally
10/31/2002	0	CITY COUNCIL	ADOPTED & REFERRED
10/31/2002	0	CITY COUNCIL	Introduced	Pass

Title
Authorizing City Council's Committee on Commerce and Economic Development to investigate and hold public hearings on the underutilization of Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) and on the underemployment of women, disabled and minority residents of the City of Philadelphia on local construction projects and city procurement contracts, and further authorizing the Committee to issue subpoenas and such other process as may be appropriate to compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of documents in furtherance of the investigation to the full extent authorized by Section 2-401 of the Home Rule Charter.
Body
WHEREAS, A disparity report on minority business utilization entitled "Philadelphia Consortium -- Business Utilization Study" was commissioned by the City of Philadelphia and completed by D.J. Miller & Associates, Inc. in April 1998 which stated "that a sufficient inference of discrimination can be made from this factual predicate to warrant the implementation of programs designed to address disparities in contracting"; and

WHEREAS, An affirmative action (AA) report prepared by City Councilman Angel Ortiz, entitled "The illusion of inclusion" reported that government funded construction and service contracts were awarded disproportionately to non-minority firms and the majority of those firms also located outside the city limits; and

WHEREAS, The same AA report demonstrates that a disproportionate number of employment and apprenticeships opportunities available as a result of government assisted projects were awarded to non-minorities a majority of which were also not Philadelphia residents; and

WHEREAS, The US Department of Labor estimates indicate that Blacks and Latinos have experienced unemployment rates 3 times greater than the non-minority counterpart; and

WHEREAS, Philadelphia's workforce diversity does not reflect the latest census data which reveals an aggregate minority population equal to 55% of the City's tot...