Jonetta Rose Barras, The Examiner
2007-07-25 18:46:00.0
Current rank: Not ranked

WASHINGTON -

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.