In a pandering speech to a forum for Minority- and Women-Owned Businesses (MWBEs) in Albany, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced yesterday that New York State would set a new goal of awarding 30 percent of state contracts to MWBEs – the “highest such goal in the nation.”
As described, the program is almost certainly illegal: There is no effort whatsoever to to tie these race- and sex-based goals to remedying contract discrimination — which is what the Constitution requires — let alone any justification for the 30 percent figure. None, that is, except for the fact that Governor Cuomo wanted to brag about how much money he will throw around, and wanted to announce a higher goal, and indeed wanted to declare a goal higher than that of any other state. And then he urged other states to follow New York, which of course would also be illegal.
Here’s hoping someone sues.