Emanuel: Private Companies To Get Credit For Hiring Minority, Women-Owned Firms

October 24, 2011 1:54 PM

Mayor Rahm Emanuel (CBS)

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Business, Heard on WBBM 780, Local, News, Politics, Syndicated Local

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CHICAGO (CBS) — Mayor Rahm Emanuel has announced new steps to help female- and minority-owned firms and other small businesses in Chicago.

As WBBM Newsradio Political Editor Craig Dellimore reports from City Hall, the mayor says it is not just the city that needs to hire more women- and minority-owned business enterprises, so his administration plans to begin giving private companies credit for the female- and minority-owned firms they hire.

Those credits can be used when they apply for city contracts.

LISTEN: WBBM Newsradio Political Editor Craig Dellimore reports

“Given that we want to have all our parts of our city – our entire communities and businesses – grow and prosper, a very interesting approach of leveraging public-sector dollars and public-sector objectives, and making sure they’re getting achieved not just in the public sector, but in the private sector as well,” Emanuel said.

In another move, the mayor said all construction contracts under $3 million will be for small businesses only. That, he says, levels the playing field and offers more opportunities.

tom Sharp

This nonsense has never worked ! It always results in overspending of taxpayer money, usually to scam artists and frontmen who claim minority status but aren’t. Stop ripping off the taxpayers!
southside

How else can he put the fix in for his friends? Here comes socialism!
malcom

This is RACIST and SEXIST!!!!!!!!!!!!! this is not What America is about. . so unemployed White Males need not apply even if you are a war veteran?
JJ

I’m not sure how this “nonsense” never worked considering that measures similar to this have helped minorities and women make great strides in higher education.
The reality is that women and minorities are under-represented or poorly represented in business, media and politics. As sad as it is, measures do need to be taken to level the playing field. This is neither sexist nor racist and I don’t even understand how unemployment comes into question considering this has nothing to do with direct employment. Unless you conclude that said businesses only hire women and minorities.
Side note: can people stop throwing around the word socialism? I know it’s the buzz word du jour, but it’s been reduced to a word that’s simply an empty insult.