Proposal 2 critics fear women, minorities will get few contracts

[carzen]

Even with outreach efforts by school districts and governments, minority-owned firms are getting small slivers of the public contracting pie.

In the 2005-06 spending year, the Lansing School District awarded $35 million in contracts. Barely $500,000 - about 1.5 percent - went to minority-owned firms.

"It's definitely not in line with our clientele or our tax base," said Celestine Hart, who oversees purchasing for the district.

Critics of Proposal 2 fear that the small sliver will be reduced to mere crumbs if Michigan voters adopt the proposed constitutional amendment. It would do away with race- and gender-based preferences in public contracting.


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