WASHINGTON (Map, News) - D.C. Council members love toying with the public. They lift us up only to slap us down. Consider the "Excellence in Local Business Contract Grading Act of 2007" as one example of the agony we endure.

At-large members Kwame Brown and Carol Schwartz, along with Ward 8's Marion Barry, co-introduced the bill before heading off for summer fun. If passed, it mandates Mayor Adrian M. Fenty "implement a comprehensive grading system" for all companies doing business in the city including those "receiving contracts under the Small, Local and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Development (LSDBE) and Assistance Act."

Anyone reading my recent columns about LSDBE businesses knows the District's contracting and procurement system needs a major overhaul. We need only look at some of the recreation centers recently constructed with tens of millions of public dollars but already riddled with structural problems as tangible evidence of what ails the system.

Instead of kicking poorly performing companies to the curb, the District coddles them. These paragons of incompetence or mediocrity are led, repeatedly, to the public trough where they happily gorge themselves.

Brown says that's about to end: "People who do bad work - no matter if they are minority, non-minority, in the city, outside of the city - we should know who they are. And they should not keep getting work. This grading system will help that."

Shout hallelujah. Do a little jig. Get happy.

Not so fast. Brown also introduced the "Minority and Women-Owned Business Assessment Act of 2007." If passed, the mayor must "analyze the current state of businesses owned or controlled by a minority qualifying to receive benefits" from the Small, Local and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Development and Assistance Act and "compute the number of those businesses eligible" and participating in the program. The bill also requires the mayor provide a plan for encouraging such businesses to compete in the procurement process.

Brown has repeatedly asserted that when he says LSDBE, he doesn't mean racial minority. "It's about local businesses" and keeping dollars in the District. Now, he shows his color.

"Some people think every business in the D.C. is a minority business," Brown says. "[The assessment would] kill the myth about what's really happening. There may be fewer businesses than people think that are D.C. based."

Here we are prepared to name Brown the architect of a meritocracy long awaited in the District government. Then he slaps us. Wham!

The council member wants contractors to be selected based on merit: A before D. He also wants the government to ensure minority participation, which means a bunch of those businesses had better be selected to receive contracts - never mind that grading system.

Truth told, Brown is running for re-election. He needs the business community's support regardless of quality of their performance.

Ice pack anyone?

Jonetta Rose Barras is the political analyst for WAMU-88.5 and the D.C. Politics Hour with Kojo and Jonetta. She can be reached at rosebook1@aol.com.

Comments from Examiner Readers

7:26 AM MST on Fri., Feb. 22, 2008 re: "Calling what you do in the classroom teaching"

Lisa said:
Do a grammar check -- you have a who/whom problem in the first sentence of the 6th paragraph. Are there no editors around?

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2:52 PM MST on Thu., Feb. 21, 2008 re: "Calling what you do in the classroom teaching"

Examiner Reader said:
Ms. Barras, Please stop straddling the fence!!! One minute you are heralding Rhee as the best thing since slice bread and now you speak the truth...A woman WITHOUT a Plan

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5:39 PM MST on Wed., Aug. 29, 2007 re: "Column: Drilling down in D.C. schools"

Examiner Reader SL said:
This article truly addressed the major issue that continues to cripple the school system and drive highly qualified teachers from educating in the district. There is an urgent need for accountability starting all the way from the top. Without significant changes, it we will only be like a bandaid being placed over an infected wound.

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3:01 PM MST on Mon., Aug. 6, 2007 re: "Column: Drilling down in D.C. schools"

Right...tell me another one said:
You know this is not going to be popular, but although Janey had the rights ideas on curriculum, you swear he was a paid consultant and never managed staff. He did not set a mission, did not review employees based on if they lived up to the mission even his own Declaration of Education and for that reason did a disservice to those who are/were talented in central office. Because he failed to set the tone. After awhile the bullies would take hold. The people who were in their cars at 5:01pm, and took Friday's off as they "worked from home" all week. He fired maybe one person--whose work was such an embarassment --she was barely literate and was asked not to return by a parents group. Her position Head of Communications. (I could not make this up). But who were talented, head of accountability, deputy business officer, community liaison all left when they were great talents.

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7:42 PM MST on Thu., Aug. 2, 2007 re: "Column: Drilling down in D.C. schools"

Examiner Reader said:
Unfortunately Assistant Superintendent Francisco Millet's story is common in the District of Columbia Public Schools. I can name another Assistant Superintendent who shares his style and attempts to intimidate teachers.

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5:36 PM MST on Thu., Aug. 2, 2007 re: "Column: Drilling down in D.C. schools"

Karen Dickerson said:
The earnest attention being paid to the current state of the DCPS is long overdue and much welcomed. Many residents undoubtedly applaud the sweeping reforms Chancellor Rhee and the Mayor plan to institute and recognize that not everyone in the system is inept, an idiot, or even a crook. Going beyond simply making it �look pretty� will be a drastic cultural change and a tragic blow to those comfortable with the status quo, as well those unaccustomed to be held accountable �not to mention being charged with the task of actually having to think. Being �progressive� is daunting and yes, even �troublesome� for some, but when one takes into account the increase in the number of charter schools in the District (only a few of whom actually meet federal student-performance benchmarks), Fenty�s and Rhee�s initiatives represent a unique opportunity (if not a noble undertaking) to improve student performance rates and provide students in the District�the Nation�s Capital�with a world-class educat

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8:31 AM MST on Thu., Aug. 2, 2007 re: "Column: Drilling down in D.C. schools"

Examiner Reader said:
When will Ms. Rhee announce the leadership team that she has assembled. There are people showing up but no one has been formally introduced, at least, to the employees in the trenches. Ms. Rhee couldn't tell the council what the duties of her transition team would be but she could give you the salary "range" not even the job title so I guess they will just "do what their supervisor tells them to." Millet is a whole different creature but he isn't the only parasite in the school system. Building moral is not a concern of these people even though Leadership 101 dictates a collaborative environment for effective change.

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8:14 AM MST on Thu., Aug. 2, 2007 re: "Drilling down in D.C. schools"

Mike Licht said:
>Re: Drilling down in D.C. schools< Anonymous Examiner Reader: it is not that everyone in the central office of DCPS is an idiot or a crook but that the lack of rational structure wastes the talents of any of those people with experience and credentials you cite, so they cannot possibly serve as assets and help students. If an agency with so many Budget Analysts cannot spend Federal Grant funds legally or purchase textbooks on time, and a system with so many Curriculum Specialists cannot teach children, it is indeed time to clear out the central office and start over. The sooner the better.

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6:57 PM MST on Wed., Aug. 1, 2007 re: "Drilling down in D.C. schools"

Examiner Reader said:
Frankly I am sick and tired of the media portraying everyone in central office as an idiot or a crook. There are people at Central with experiences and credentials who are assets to the system and help students. In fact, due to the lack of communication from the Rhee administration to the current central office staff (perhaps based on their mistaken belief that all are incompetent) many excellent people who ARE employable in top jobs in the area are leaving. When will that story be told?!

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11:36 AM MST on Fri., May. 25, 2007 re: "Jonetta Rose Barras: Dan Tangherlini: The wizard�s assistant"

Examiner Reader Ms. Betty Lewis said:
Why don't we let the court seperate the lies from the truth. Lanier moved to fast on her personal vendetta against the Commander. Bauman from the FOP is an idiot, Lanier assigns police and the cars and the bikes, not the Commander. We know that all the trashing of the Commander's reputation is coming out of Lanier's office, maybe the investigators that are working on the Commanders case will uncover the true reason that Lanier was picked for Chief, knowing that she is not the brightest star in the sky . Why has Lanier surrounded herself with Commanders and Assistant Chief that had domestic charges filed against them ?

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