California IN BRIEF : SAN FRANCISCO : U.S. Judge Upholds Minority Contracts

A federal judge has upheld the validity of San Francisco’s contract preference system for minorities and women over a claim of reverse discrimination by white contractors. The challenged city ordinance provides preferences in bidding to minority and women construction contractors in the city. U.S. District Judge Thelton Henderson refused to issue a temporary restraining order to block enforcement of the law. The 1989 ordinance is “an attempt to end the old boy network” that allowed white contractors to dominate the construction business with the city, according to Deputy City Atty. Mara Rosales. Associated General Contractors of California Inc., a nonprofit California corporation headquartered in Sacramento, challenged the ordinance. The group, representing 700 general contractors, contended the city violated the equal protection clause of the Constitution by adopting a policy of discriminatory awarding of contracts in favor of certain racial and ethnic minorities. The suit also maintained the system violated the city Charter.