Pacific Legal Foundation announced today that it is filing a lawsuit to challenge Caltrans’ new race- and sex-based quotas projects. According to PLF, Caltrans announced in March that it would be implementing the 2009 Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program, which “sets a quota of having 6.75 percent of contracts go to women or members of targeted, preferred groups – African American, Asian-Pacific American, and Native American (but not Latinos or any other group).” PLF filed the lawsuit on behalf of Associated General Contractors of America, San Diego Chapter.
During a media conference call today announcing the lawsuit, PLF principal attorney Sharon Browne explained that this new program not only violates the United States Constitution’s equal protection, it violates California’s Proposition 209. In fact, Ward Connerly, the former UC Regent who led the campaign to end race-based quotas in California’s government institutions, participated in the media conference call. Connerly stated that it’s wrong to place the construction industry in the position of picking and choosing their workers based on their race or sex. “Taxpayers want their tax dollars spent efficiently,” explained Connerly, before adding that government seems more interested in building diversity than building infrastructure.
In addition to the fact that California’s liberal policy makers still seem incapable of looking at one’s qualifications and abilities, rather than race or sex, this program will cost California money at a time when it can ill afford to waste even one cent. As Browne explains, "When [Caltrans] is not awarding contracts based on lowest cost by a responsible bidder, expenses rise and money is wasted. This makes no sense for our fiscally strapped state. Officials could fund more road projects with the $2.57 billion in federal money that Caltrans is slated to receive this year; yet, they’re squandering it on their costly quota scheme."
To read more about this lawsuit, visit PLF’s web site. The battle over Proposition 209 and the budget crisis seem to intersect in this one lawsuit, yet another example of government’s liberal social agenda wasting taxpayer money.