Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (June 8, 2016)
Page 6 June 8, 2016 O PINION Opinion articles do not necessarily represent the views of the Portland Observer. We welcome reader essays, photos and story ideas. Submit to news@portlandobserver.com. Finally, a True Black Prime Contractor at TriMet A grand reason to celebrate J ames P osey It is a well- known fact that TriMet has been the perennial leader among governmental agencies for successful results in hiring and supporting minority contractors and workers over several decades. This history spans as far back as the 1982 I-84 Banield Light Rail project. The chronology includes the Westside Hillsboro line, their signature Interstate Light Rail project, a series of local street car projects, the South Corridor I-205 MAX, the Milwaukie MAX and more. Thus, TriMet’s most recent action of awarding a major con- tract to black-owned Raimore Construction is evolutionary and is the culmination of many years of struggle. It represents prog- ress of huge portions. This $6.8 by million contract to build transit shelters for the Milwaukie MAX line is a turning point, a major breakthrough, and a momentous achievement not only for minority contractors but the entire Oregon community. It is not clear that TriMet actu- ally understands the full impact of what it has done in terms of hiring Raimore as the irst black gener- al contractor to complete a major construction project in Oregon. It is no secret that these large trans- portation projects have been the Patrick John Sweeney Attorney at Law 1549 SE Ladd, Portland, Oregon (503) 244-2080 (503) 244-2081 (503) 244-2084 Sweeney@PDXLawyer.com Catering & Take-Out Chicken • Pork Ribs • Beef Ribs Our Specialty: Real Hickory Smoked Bar-B-Q Wayne Cannon (Proprietor) Mon-Thur 11:30am-9:00pm • Fri-Sat 11:30am-11:00pm • Sun 1:00pm-7:00pm 5410 N.E. 33rd Like many other government bod- ies, TriMet’s emphasis has been focused on supporting minority contractors in a social-welfare context rather than in fundamen- tal investments in the economic It is not clear that TriMet actually understands the full impact of what it has done in terms of hiring Raimore as the irst black general contractor to complete a major construction project in Oregon. It is no secret that these large transportation projects have been the catalysts for enormous economic growth and wealth-building throughout the region. he Law Oices of Patrick John Sweeney, P.C. Portland: Hillsoboro: Facsimile: Email: catalysts for enormous econom- ic growth and wealth-building throughout the region. As well, it’s also understood that com- pared to their white counterparts, African-Americans and other mi- 503-288-3836 norities have always struggled to beneit signiicantly from the bil- lions of dollars expended on these projects. One reason this had not hap- pened previously is because met- ro-area governmental organiza- tions have been unwilling to really commit to institutional inclusion. infrastructure of communities of color. And now, once again TriMet has made history by hiring an authentic black contractor, a con- tractor who has all the prerequisite skills and independent resources to be successful. Raimore is gen- uine because its physical location and operation are in a historical- ly-black community of northeast Portland where the owners and key staff live, work and play. With a few exceptions, their workforce is distinctively black with no equivocation. And more impor- tantly, there is a high probability the black community will be eco- nomically enriched by the compa- ny’s participation in this segment of the transportation market. This is the vision, mission and goal of the disadvantage business enterprise (DBE) program, which has seldom been implemented ef- fectively in the Oregon’s construc- tion market. Therefore, TriMet should be commended, recog- nized and encouraged to continue this truly progressive example of authentic equity and inclusion. In- deed, the community as a whole has a grand reason to celebrate. James Posey is a Portland contractor and business owner, co-founder of the National Asso- ciation of Minority Contractors, and former president of the Coa- lition of Black Men and vice presi- dent of the Portland NAACP. Letter to the Editor Improving Housing and Wages As stated in the preamble of Oregon Initiative Petition 65, the High School Graduation and Col- lege Readiness Act, “Oregon has one of the lowest graduation rates in the nation. More than 10,000 Oregon students fail to graduate each year. As a result, they face a future of lower earnings, higher unemployment and greater reli- ance on public assistance.” According to the Oregon Ofice of Economic Analysis, when in- cluding the entire state of Oregon, middle wage jobs have continu- ously diminished, while low and high wage jobs have increased signiicantly over the past decade. According to U.S. Bureau of La- bor statistics, 9 out of the top 10 occupations in Portland bought an average median annual income of a mere $26,177 in 2012. On top of the list was a “retail salesperson,” while the second leading occupa- tion for employment was “food preparation service, including fast food” and the third was “cashier.” Since 1999, Oregon strictly prohibited enacting mandatory inclusionary policies to create affordable housing, joining only Texas in the entire country which refused to offer this vital protec- tion to their citizens. But Sen- ate Bill 1533 was promoted as a solution when it was passed in the State Legislature during the last session and signed into law by Gov. Kate Brown. The generally accepted formu- la for pricing affordable housing units is derived from 60 percent of the region’s annual median wage. SB 1533’s deinition of affordable housing is “households with in- comes equal to or higher than 80 percent of the median family in- come.” According to the Portland Housing Bureau, the 2015 medi- um income for a family of four in Portland was $73,900. Ap- plying the minimum 80 percent threshold, the region’s medi- an wage, for a family of four, is equivalent to $58,800 as a quali- ier for affordable housing. This newly enacted law gives housing developers a favorable option to appeal to a wealthier citizen. They will have the ability to charge an additional few hundred dollars for rent, due to this higher threshold in determining affordability re- quirements. This will essential- ly discriminate against families making less than $58,800 annual- ly here in Portland. SB 1533 also grants out of state developers multiple incentives, such as advantageous tax breaks, and full or partial exemptions from property taxes, and also the legal permission to construct taller projects. Additional beneits can be es- tablished for these developers that can be determined at will, and can be enabled by any city or county in the state. Currently out of state apartment developers are build- ing residential structures all over the Portland metropolitan area that are far too expensive for na- tive Oregonians to afford. How will our elected oficials provide human security to all Portland- ers, and not just to the abundant amount of economically fortunate transplants, who have transformed our city’s demographics over the past decade? Also, how will our city and state leaders increase our gradua- tion rates here in Portland, and as- sist this highly volatile generation of our society, our future leaders, in providing them with the proper education to succeed in obtaining a profession that actually produc- es a livable wage, and one that will not force them to sleep in their car? Alexander Krokus, North Portland