FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Release	Source: Technical Assistance Center for Emerging Contractors

TAC: State Representative Dwight Evans to Spearhead Effort for More Philadelphia and Minority Job Opportunities in the Construction Industry

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- The TAC, or Technical Assistance Center for Emerging Contractors (http://emergingcontractor.com), today announced that State Representative Dwight Evans has agreed to convene the group of elected officials who have committed themselves to play "a leadership role" in resolving issues related to the substantial underrepresentation of Philadelphia residents and people of color in the Philadelphia skilled trades unions.

On September 14, the TAC issued an eight-question survey form to all elected officials seeking Philadelphia votes in the November 7 General Election. The questionnaire was also distributed to incumbent City Councilmembers, to Primary Election mayoral candidates and to incumbent mayor John Street.

According to TAC Chairman Bruce Patterson, Evans has accepted the responsibility of working with the 27 elected officials who support the TAC initiatives, including the Governor's Office, members of the General Assembly, Philadelphia City Councilpeople and 2007 Philadelphia mayoral candidates, to develop legislative strategies to bring about more inclusion and improved local job creation in the city's construction industry.

Evans said he expects to begin the process of reaching out to his political colleagues immediately.

"In a city wherein more than 24 percent of the population lives below the poverty level, every opportunity to do job creation has to be assigned an urgent priority for government leaders," said Evans. "It's encouraging that so many of my fellow elected officials already agree about what needs to be done. Now, we simply have to come together and do it."

In a related development, State Representative Thomas Blackwell, who had missed the earlier deadline for completing the survey form, today completed the form and forwarded it to the TAC's attention.

Source: Technical Assistance Center for Emerging Contractors

Last Updated: October 30, 2006