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Thursday, September 28, 2006
Caucus urges scrapping of N.C. vendor bill
Continued from page 1A
and services,” Robinson said.
“We’re still trying to mount
enough support to go back
and revisit House Bill 1827
because black people got jilt
ed.”
The departments under
Easley’s control have a dis
mal record of black contractor
participation, ranging fium 0
percent in the Department of
Cultural Resources to 5 per
cent in the Department of
Health and Human Services.
Kenneth Johnson, execu
tive director of the Carolina
Association of Minority
Contractors, stressed that
the state Department of
Correction’s prison popula
tion is 60 black compared to 1
percent black contractor par
ticipation.
Anthony Young, NCBLC
Eastern Region^ vice chair,
and Gwendolyn Hailey,
NCBLC vice chair, offered
inlbrmation about leveraging
political power for economic
gain.
“They stated that we should
N.C. initiative aims to
hold elected ofBdals account
able, not only for tiie dollars
they bring to their districts,
but also for the distribution of
those dollars,” Robinson said.
Added Hailey: “Thrae’s no
accoimtability to African
Americans. We’re not asking
for most of the contracting
money just our fair share. We
have to reach out and build
support among grassroots
organizations to affect, the
outcome of elections.”
The Minority Institute for
Economic Development cur
rently works vrith Donnie
Baucom to establish reports
on the state of black and
minority businesses in North
Carolina. In addition, the
institute works on initiatives
to address secmity bonds, -
executive education for
minority businesses, addi
tional business opportunities
with the DOT, the UNC
College System and the
Raleigh-Durham Airport
Authority The institute also
provides information on the
buying power of blacks in the
state.
local Historically Black
Colleges and Universities
take steps to prevent credit
card compames from distrib-
black leadership groups to
foige working relationships
and a unified agenda. The
the Minority Institute of
Economic Development, indi
cated that the institute plans
to request that chancellors at
uting on campus.
“This predatory practice
can result in students leavii^
college with excessive debt
that will handicap them for
life,” Harris said. “It is an
issue we must address!”
Brad Thompson gave a
Power Point presentation on
the finding of the 2006 Black
Summit that was a part of
the Black Elected Officials
Conference in Raleigh in
April. The pm’pose of the
summit was to bring together
groups :
the alliance were; the
Association of Black County
Officials, the Association of
Black Mayors, Black School
Board Maubers Association,
Black Elected Municipal
Officials, the NAACP, N.C.
Legislative Black Caucus,
TVianglft Urban League and
the N.C. Black Leadership
Caucus.
“The goal Was to get beyond
problem statements and then
move to action and responsi
bility” Thompson said.
reduce health disparity
By Sommer Brokaw
THE TRIANGl£ TRIBUNE
KEZIAH’s FURNITURE
BEAUTIFUL HOMES BEGIN WITH US
DURHAM - North Carolinians have spent more than $2 bil
lion on medical costs associated with unhealthy lifestjies. Lt.
Goy. Beverly Perdue, chair of the N.C. Health and Wellness
Ttust Fund, wants to reverse that traid and spend money on
prevention programs with a $12 million initiative to reduce
health disparities.
Perdue said some of the most needy don’t have access to
healthcare.
‘It’s wrong, it’s wrong, it’s wrong,” she said at a press confer
ence Monday
Perdue said 12 percent of the state’s non-elderly whites don’t
have access to health insurance; among Afiican-Americans,
that number bounces up to 20 percent, and rises even higher to
46 percent for Hispanics.
“I think that’s a fimdamental problem,” Perdue said. “We
spend $2 billion in state tax money as a result of inequities in
the healthcare systan. I’d rather see that $2 biUion go into pub
lic schools and universities. VWth all the technology and medi
cine out there, the reality for us in the state is that smaller
agencies don’t get a bite of that.”
In an effort to help the smaller agencies reduce disparities, the
HWTF awarded $12 million to 27 organizations that represent
ed state universities, faith-based organizations, hospitals,
health departments and community-based organizations.
“The goal of this initiative is to make sure all North
Carolinians have access to programs that vtill help them be able
to live longer and healthier lives,” HWTF Commissioner
MaryAnn Black said.
Renee Jones, executive director of Charlotte Communities of
Shalom, Inc., a faith-based nonprofit organization, received a
$360,000 grant over a three-year period.
Jones said the funds will help them expand and develop their
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