Dayton duplicates State minority set aside program

The State already maintains a list of minority and small disadvantaged businesses, and has “MBE/EDGE certifications” for such.

It would seem that once again, Dayton taxpayers are being asked to foot the bill to reinvent the wheel:

City staff is reaching out through letters and e-mails to businesses statewide in hopes of finding minority-owned shops that can be certified and put in a database. The city plans to use the database to award contracts to those businesses, said Thomas Wahlrab, executive director of the city’s Human Relations Council.

via Dayton needs minority businesses for contracts.

The article also includes a major typo:

Certified business criteria

1. Potential certified businesses must have a personal net worth of at least $750,000.

2. Owners must have principal place of business within the state.

3. At least 51 percent of the business’ interest must be held by one or more disadvantaged owner(s).

4. Must be a legal U.S. citizen.

Number one should read of under $750,000 and the State standard is $250,000 for EDGE only.

The Federal Government and at least 14 states are now recognizing Service Disabled Veteran Owned Businesses as qualifying for set asides. The State of Ohio and the County and the City do not. It is one class you can enter by actually serving your country and giving something up. I believe more Americans would support this protected class than that of Asian Indians Immigrants or Hispanics who came to this country willingly.

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