I am urging you to vote YES on Ballot Question #1 to confirm City Council's authority to enact ordinances requiring economic opportunity plans.

This is not a symbolic measure - its purpose is to codify current and future "economic opportunity " ordinances within the Home Rule Charter without conflict with the Mayor's general authority with regard to non-competitively bid and professional services contracts.

It is my belief that business and workforce diversity goals, as well as living wage and benefit standards, should be applied to all contracts. Yet, the City's Law Department has, for years, maintained that any ordinance enacted by City Council is not legally enforceable with regard to non-competitively bid and professional services contracts unless specifically authorized by the Charter.