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Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Gregoire boosts women, minorities
OLYMPIA -- Gov. Christine Gregoire Monday directed state government to boost opportunities for women and minorities to land state contracts, saying their share has sunk to 1 percent or less.
Tim Eyman, the original sponsor of the state's voter-approved initiative rolling back affirmative action in contracts, employment and college admission, said the governor may be trying an end-run around Initiative 200. He said he's preparing a "Son of I-200" for a potential campaign next year.
But Carolyn Crowson, director of the state Office of Minority and Women's Business Enterprises, said the governor's letter to her Cabinet is perfectly legal.
I-200 forbids any preferential treatment based on race or gender, but allows "outreach" efforts to include women and minorities in the pool of qualified applicants for procurements and contracts, she said in an interview Monday.
"Outreach is legal," she said. "We work with Initiative 200 and we know what we can and cannot do."
Her agency Web site provides elaboration. Goals, preferences or consideration of race and gender are forbidden, but the office can certify and recruit qualified companies and monitor how they fare, the posting said.
Gregoire said state contracts with minority-owned businesses have dropped from 5 percent to 1 percent over the past six years.
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