On Tuesday, The Port of Seattle Commission unanimously approved a motion in support of Washington State House Bill 2822, which would repeal restrictions set forth in state law that affect equity for small businesses, including disadvantaged, minority, and women-owned businesses.
“Repealing these restrictions means the Port will be better able to support all of the businesses that contribute to the economic vibrancy of the region, especially those that have faced historical obstacles in competing for a fair share of the work,” said Commissioner Stephanie Bowman. “It’s our mission to support the creation of middle-class jobs in the region and many of those jobs are in small, family-owned, and minority-owned businesses.”
According to a press release, the Commission recognizes the economic and societal impacts of income inequality and the decline of the middle class. A recent Boston Consulting Group study identified the loss of 9,000 middle class jobs in the region. Last month, the Port of Seattle launched the PortGen Small Business Accelerator Program began in January to support those businesses and enable them to compete more effectively.
“We applaud the Port of Seattle for its ongoing recognition of the inequalities caused by I-200,” said Ollie Garrett, President and CEO of Tabor 100. “We look forward to working with the Port to increase opportunities for underrepresented businesses.”
