Rev. W. Taharka Robinson Honored for Consumer Protection Activism

State Senator Kevin Parker’s Recommendation to MWBE’s After New Bill Signed into Law

On July 15, 2010, Governor David Paterson made history in New York by signing into law the first comprehensive legislation for the inclusion of Minority and Women Business Enterprises in the bid and business process throughout the state.  It is now a law of the land, and will have a broad generative effect across the board for enhancing and empowering Black-and minority-owned businesses.  Historically speaking, these businesses have been marginalized, or not included at all in many of the major multimillion-dollar contracts leD by City and State government.

Major vendors have come into the area and have been able to establish businesses without including local businesses, contractorS or services.  With the signing of the bill, the dynamic has changed.  The implications for Brooklyn’s minority business enterprises is tremendous.

State Senator Kevin Parker, of Brooklyn’s 21st Senatorial District, which encompasses Flatbush, Ditmas Park, Midwood and other areas,  took time to spell out the details and the impact these four new bills will have on Black-and minority-owned businesses in Brooklyn and throughout the state. 

What follows is a brief interview with the senator, immediately after Governor David Paterson’s historic signing of the bill into law:

GDW: What’s the significance of this bill?  And what does this mean for us in Brooklyn?

KP:  Well, it’s actually a package of four bills, three of which deal with something called 15A, which deals with procurement for the state of New York.  And the fourth bill actually deals with the Emerging Managers bill which now, for the first time, allows Blacks, Latino, women and Asians who are engaged in financial services, to now have a program that requires the state to give them their due.

To further put that in perspective, Senator Parker compared New York’s budget with the rest of the world: “Right now, the state of New York is the third- largest budget in the entire country.  First is the Federal Government’s budget, [second] the state of California, then the state of New York.  Out of that $136 billion that we’re going to spend this year in the state of New York, between $25 and $30 billion is procured out for everything from paper clips to large construction projects.  And so, historically, African-Americans, Latinos, women and Asians have had very, very, very small percentages — actually less than two percent totally  — of that money.  This is now going to expand the process — the process has existed for a while — but this will expand the process by which MWBE’s get access to those state contracts.”

GDW:  Brooklyn is the entrepreneurial capital of New York.  More people actually have their own small businesses. Specifically, what kinds of things are you going to do in Brooklyn to ensure those people are involved?

KP:  Well this is the first time that we’re connecting Wall Street to Main Street. Literally, Wall Street to the Main Streets of my community.  The Church Avenues, the Flatbush Avenues, the Nostrand Avenues.  And so, one,  there are going to be a lot of programs vis à vis every agency.  So from the Department of Transportation to the Empire State Development Corporation will be having programs.  A lot of elected officials, including myself, are doing press conferences, press releases and notices, and mailers to our community to let them know what’s going on.

GDW:  Is there anything that the other side of the community needs to do.  In other words, those people who are just getting into the fray and have never been certified as an MWBE can do?

KP:  Well, I think that what the people should be doing is reaching out to the agency, particularly to the Empire State Development Corporation.

Senator Parker is known for encouraging local small business growth with the creation of Building Blocks Local Development Corporation.  He has also hosted three business development forums throughout the district, so his sense of commitment to business development is already established.

That said, he offered several recommendations to MWBE’s  who stand to benefit from this new legislation:

KP:  There are really a number of things that people need to do.  I have five quick tips:

One, people need to get their paperwork straight.  Your personal financials; if you have a business already, get your business finances together and make sure you have a good business plan.

Two, research the opportunities that are available with the state.  Whether you’re selling furniture, there’s the Department of Education, you may want to look at the Health Department; if you do construction, you may want to talk with the Thruway Authority and the Dept. of Transportation; you can research and see who is your best opportunity to do business with.

The Third thing you want to make sure that you do is to get certified.  There’s a certification process with the state.

GDW:  Having worked as a minority business liaison in the past, I have to ask you has that process been streamlined?  It used to take forever.

KP: It has been.  It’s now a two-day process — it used to be a very long process, we’ve streamlined it.  I think it’s a one-page form now.  But it’s much easier.  And then last, make sure you reach out to your elected officials.  So, whether it’s myself or your assembly or city council person, they will have information on how minority—and women—owned businesses are working; and how you get your best access back to those opportunities.

KP: The important point is that we provide transparency to the process, accountability to the process; and more importantly, enforcement to make sure that people who were not in compliance with it are taken to task. The signing of this bill by the governor today is an acknowledgment that labor market discrimination exists in the state of New  York.  And that we, in fact, need to address it.  The way to address it is to make sure that Black and Latino, Asian and Women—Owned Businesses have more capacity to do hiring by giving them more business opportunities.  More business opportunities equates to more employment opportunities in all of our communities.

If you are interested in additional information on the Minority and Women Business Enterprises, contact the Empire State Development Corporation at www.empire.state.ny.us, or Senator Kevin Parker’s office at (718) 629-6401.

For a more in depth report on the MWBE and its impact, log on to my Blog:  http://www.gloriadulanwilson.blogspot.com

John White Steps Forward to Fulfill Sentence

Flanked by his wife and sons, last week John White reported to the courtroom of the Honorable Barbara Kahn in the Suffolk County Court. He began his sentence of 2-4 years resulting from the incident in which John White was defending his family and home from a mob of drunken teens. That incident resulted in the death of one of those teens.
Noel Leader, along with other members of 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement Who Care, escorted John White and his family to the court “because of the sensitivity of the case and threats made to him, his wife and sons.” Leader said, “Members of our organization picked the family up at their house and had the unfortunate task of escorting him to the courthouse, where he was then taken into custody to complete his sentence.”
Describing the mood of the family, Leader said “Surprisingly, John was more upbeat than all of us were. Because of the magnitude of the injustice to him as well as his family, we all were sad. He was very upbeat. He knew what he did was the right thing to do. He had nothing to hang his head in shame over. He was sad over the fact that he was going to miss his wife and children.”
According to Leader, John White’s “sons were, of course, very sad. They know that they are going to miss their father for the next couple of years unless Governor David Paterson does the right thing and grants clemency or a pardon.”
Someone close to the family said John White could not submit a clemency application until White was in custody inside the prison.
John White has exhausted all appeals on the state level. Since that last state appeal was rejected, something occurred to give the family additional hope. The U.S. Supreme Court decided in McDonald v. City of Chicago that the Second Amendment, which protects the right to bear arms for the purpose of self-defense, also applies to the states (not just the District of Columbia, as decided in the Heller case). The family will need to raise funds to start a federal lawsuit.
“Everyone who is familiar with the facts of this case knows that we are not holding our heads down for John.  He did nothing wrong,” Leader said. “All of us will miss him. All of us share the unfortunate time he will now serve in prison. Right now, what everyone is pinning their hopes on is the governor intervening.”
The weapon involved in the incident was a family heirloom. It originally belonged to Napoleon White, John’s grandfather. According to family history, the White family was chased out of Oneonta, Alabama in 1929. One night the Klan came to the family home to get someone in the family. Napoleon White was able to defend the family and get most of them out. The Klan set the house on fire. One of John’s aunts was not able to get out. She died in the fire. In the aftermath, the White family split up. Some settled in Cleveland, others in Georgia. John White’s branch of the family landed in New York.

Attorney General Cuomo’s Wavering Relationship With Black Voters

After two weeks of investigating allegations against Governor David Paterson, requested by the governor himself, NYS Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has recused himself. Cuomo’s appointment of former state Chief Justice Judith Kaye solved a political conundrum: the unannounced Democratic candidate for governor investigating his chief rival – the state’s current governor.  The timing of Cuomo’s recusal is questionable.

Mainstream media’s journalistic harassment of Governor Paterson reached a crescendo in the aftermath of domestic violence allegations against David Johnson, the governor’s closest aide. Paterson’s poll numbers dropped as the public reacted to news that the governor spoke by phone to Johnson’s girlfriend, Sherr-una Booker, one day before she was scheduled to appear in court to pursue an order of protection. Two top state police officials have resigned during investigations of state police involvement in the matter.

Meanwhile, Cuomo, who had enjoyed high approval ratings as the unannounced Democratic candidate for this year’s gubernatorial race, saw his poll numbers drop precipitously. According to the latest Marist poll, Cuomo’s approval ratings dropped from 67 percent to 54 percent. Among nonwhite voters, Cuomo’s numbers dropped 22 percent. In NYC, the AG dropped 17 percent. 

Voters seem to give Governor Paterson the benefit of the doubt as the investigation continues. After support for the governor emerged from two summit meetings with Black and Latino elected officials led by Rev. Al Sharpton, that Marist poll found 68 percent of NYS voters support the governor completing his term in office. Only 28 percent thought the governor should resign, with 4 percent remaining unsure.

Many questioned Cuomo’s role in investigating Governor Paterson, including Alton Maddox, who asked if a conflict of interest was taking place. Maddox said that by rights, the Bronx DA Robert Johnson should be investigating the issue. “The Bronx is being disenfranchised,” and asked, “If a crime occurs in a county, shouldn’t the prosecutor in that county investigate?”
The media attacks on Governor Paterson seemed orchestrated to provide NYS Attorney General Andrew Cuomo an unobstructed “red carpet walk” to the governor’s mansion. Yet no one knows how Cuomo would govern, or even what positions he would take. As Governor Paterson leads the state from budget crisis to budget crisis, Cuomo has remained silent regarding what direction he would take the state and its finances.

Cuomo’s silence may be calculated for another reason: to keep him from putting his foot in his mouth. The AG’s tempestuous political relationship with Black voters is illustrative.
Just two short years ago, Andrew Cuomo saw fit to insert himself into the race for the Democratic primary for the presidency. Then-candidate Barack Obama, fresh from an unprecedented, yet convincing win in Iowa, went into New Hampshire with a confidence that was no match for the shrewdness of Hillary Clinton’s campaign combined with the political “free thinking” of that state’s voters. The Obama campaign’s loss to Clinton was sobering.

Andrew Cuomo, then a Hillary supporter, had this assessment of the New Hampshire primary, which he expressed during a radio interview: “It’s not a TV-crazed race. Frankly, you can’t buy your way into it . You can’t shuck and jive at a press conference. You can’t just put off reporters, because you have real people looking at you saying answer the question, you know, and all those moves you can make with the press don’t work when you’re in someone’s living room.”

“Shuck and jive” is known as an African-American colloquialism, and was widely seem as just one of many racially tinged comments from Hillary supporters designed to remind voters that Obama is Black. The comment did not sit well, especially among Black voters.
Almost a decade ago, Carl McCall ran for governor of NY. McCall had an impressive track record, including winning the statewide office of Comptroller in 1994 and 1998. Andrew Cuomo, fresh from a stint as HUD Secretary, ran against McCall in the Democratic primary. McCall’s statewide support was eroded by Cuomo’s campaign, effectively splitting the Democrat vote. On the eve of the state’s Democratic Convention, Cuomo withdrew his name from consideration. In September of 2002, Cuomo saw the writing on the wall and withdrew from the race. His name remained on the ballot as the Liberal Party candidate, however. Cuomo received 14% of the vote in the primary and only 16,000 votes out of 2.2 million in the general election. Cuomo’s poor showing cost the Liberal Party its automatic spot on the NY ballot. Cuomo was also seen as contributing to McCall’s defeat in the general election against Pataki.

If Cuomo does announce his candidacy for NYS governor, it will be interesting to see how he courts Black voters, a key Democratic block. With his history, it will not be easy.
(Future articles will explore Andrew Cuomo’s tenure as HUD Secretary and NYS Attorney General.)

View From Here: Governor Paterson on the Edge

 Governor David Paterson’s problems are entirely of his own making.   Interfering with a woman protecting herself from a physical abuser?   It was both an arrogance of power and a devaluing of women.  It was also thoughtless, because his actions were just the open opportunity for any number of forces in the state to pounce on and that’s before you factor in the ever-present racism, which is always intertwined in there somewhere. 
The upcoming redistricting, the allocation of the state budget,  the private money that is made or lost based on relationships with who occupies the governor’s mansion, all involved are working their contacts and rumor makers to fill the atmosphere with their chatter in order to force the governor to resign before the investigation by the office of Attorney General Andrew Cuomo can run its course. 
How long he and his family can withstand the strain of the constant questions is uncertain, but Paterson appears for now to feel he will be exonerated and is trying to hold on until the investgation completes but he may not have that long.  As we go to press we see that the New York Times is reporting that  “Gov. David A. Paterson falsely testified under oath during an ethics investigation into his acceptance of free World Series tickets last fall, according to the State Commission on Public Integrity, which announced on Wednesday that it had asked prosecutors to determine if criminal charges should be brought against the governor.”  Things don’t look good at all for the governor. 
They are looking good for probable candidate for governor Andrew Cuomo who must also see the downside of being under two microscopes: one looking at how his office handles the investigation of Governor Paterson and the other on where he stands on state issues such as state Senator Schneiderman’s legislation on where prisoners reside for redistricting purposes.  And if he’s going to be the candidate for governor, he has to tell us his thoughts now, and not in May after he saw which way the wind blew.
The Democratic leadership may hate it but they’d better have a primary because there’s nothing like a good fight to see what arguments are out there and if your candidate can take the hit.  And after Spitzer, Hevesi and Paterson, they may need to find a  plan B, just in case plan A for Andy blows up in their face as all the others have. 
Paterson’s holding on but Congressman Charlie Rangel has had to let go of the chairmanship of the House Ways and Means Committee in the wake of a report from the House Ethics committee that admonished him for ethics violation in accepting corporate-sponsored trips. 

Will this health care horror never end?  The problem is that the simplicity of single-payer has not broken through the wall of health industry noise and their political contributions.  It helps to remember that every time you see a health plan truck on the street with their insurance vendors stopping passers by, those are health care premiums at work.  We’ve said it before and will again that it is the health premiums that pay for the  district managers, the area managers the regional managers the vice-presidents, the presidents, and the stockholders.   And this is for each insurance company.  And at these insurance companies they use premiums to pay people to find reasons to override doctors, deny care and pay the doctors, technicians, nurses and hospitals from what’s left. 
In a single-payer system, with no insurance company involvement, a patient goes to the health provider, receives treatment and uses a health card to confirm the visit and services.  The provider informs the Medicare-like system, and is paid. By cutting out the health industry jobs program for managers and executives, there is finally money to pay decent fees for services because the entire population is in the insurance pool.
With a full-blown single-payer program, the insurance companies, except for high-end boutique providers, will go the way of the tuberculosis wards and the polio-equipment supply houses.  This is an end they will rail against to the very end, but when it comes, the nation will be healthier and wealthier for it.