City Council Protecting the Disenfranchised

ast year, the City Council created the Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprise Program, requiring each city agency to establish a plan to encourage "minority" and women-owned businesses to compete for city contracts under $1 million. It also eased some requirements set by the Department of Small Business Services (DSBS).

In the process of formulating this program, however, councilmembers came to see that there were some other business owners who didn’t fit either the category of minority or women-owned who also needed additional assistance in competing for city contracts. Therefore, at its last meeting, the City Council passed what it calls the Emerging Business Enterprise Bill to create a new category for business owners who are "socially and economically disenfranchised."

As Council Member Diana Reyna, the bill’s prime sponsor, explained, the bill sets a goal of 6% of all city contracts under $1 million to go to this new category of business owners. The Council is still working out the details of exactly who will qualify, but they expect the legislation to benefit people with disabilities and other such groups. The DSBS will administer the program and review applicants on a case-by-case basis.

During the meeting, many councilmembers commended Reyna for the extremely hard work she put into bringing this legislation to fruition, assisted by Council Member Yvette Clarke, Chair of the City Council Contract Committee. "This is about equity," declared Council Member Miguel Martinez. "It’s about the door of opportunity being open to everyone, regardless of what community they come from, what language they speak, or how they look, especially those who may not have a voice or resources."

The council also passed legislation to rename 58 of the City’s streets, many for people who died in the 9/11 tragedy. Some streets are being renamed for famous people such as Special Olympics coach Joann Young and world-famous crooner Al Jolson. Thanks to Council Member and future Congressman Charles Barron, a portion of Church Avenue in Brooklyn will now be co-named Bob Marley Boulevard in honor of this beloved Jamaican reggae artist and revolutionary.

When Barron and Caribbean-born Council Member Kendall Stewart thanked their colleagues for their support of this measure, neither could resist getting in several illusions to Marley’s song titles and lyrics. "Marley was instrumental in singing redemption songs, songs of freedom, and encouraging us to emancipate ourselves from mental slavery," commented Barron. "Bob Marley, may you continue to rest in peace even as your spirit lives on as a very positive force in our community."

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Council Member Clarke also noted that Church Avenue extends the length of several Brooklyn council districts, including hers. In conjunction with Community Board 17, her office is supporting the effort to have Bob Marley Boulevard extend the entire length of Church Avenue.

Some of the other important pieces of legislation brought up at this meeting were as follows:

Council Member Al Vann introduced a bill that would designate high poverty areas within New York City as "community development zones" in order to strategically address poverty through economic development and human service delivery. He pointed out that this bill was the result of intensive public hearings and focus groups as well as the involvement of community leaders, advocates, academicians, and anyone else concerned about New York City. "It was also aided by the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina where we saw benign neglect of the people of the Gulf Coast by their own government," Vann stated. "Poverty is a constant phenomenon, and once this bill is passed, I'm sure it will become landmark legislation that is emulated by municipalities throughout the country."

There was also some excellent legislation introduced as to housing. Council Member Annabel Palma’s bill aims at ensuring permanent housing for formerly homeless New Yorkers; Council Member Rosie Mendez’s bill calls for notification of the intent to demolish certain rent regulated housing accommodations in order to stop developers from exploiting a loophole in the law to demolish rent-controlled and rent regulated apartments; and Letitia James’ bill requires that community boards and councilmembers receive notification of demolition permits.

Finally, Council Member Robert Jackson asked for support of his resolution urging the New York State Legislature and the State Board of Elections to refrain from implementing the current plan for compliance with the federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002 but instead to concentrate its efforts on ensuring that New York is appropriately HAVA-compliant for 2007 and that the compliance process is transparent and secure. "We want to make sure," Jackson concluded, "that all people who are eligible have the opportunity to vote, that their vote is counted, and that it is verifiable on paper."