Council passes ordinance aimed at boosting local hiring
BRIDGEPORT — The City Council has passed an ordinance encouraging developers who receive subsidies — tax incentives, breaks on the purchase price of public property — to prioritize local hiring.
But one prominent businessman urged the city to do a better job expanding the skilled labor pool, while a brand-new councilman denounced language in the ordinance that would give ex-felons first dibs on construction job openings.
“You want to be forgiven, go to church,” Councilman Michael DeFilippo, one of two “no” votes, said in a brief interview afterward.
DeFilippo unsuccessfully tried Monday to table the vote and have the ordinance sent back to committee. Councilwoman AmyMarie Vizzo-Paniccia also voted no.
The hiring proposal, spearheaded by Councilman Ernie Newton, asks developers partnering on projects with the city to try to give 20 percent of new construction jobs created to “qualified” city residents and another 5 percent to those with criminal records.
In drafting the ordinance, staff from the Economic Development and law departments made sure it was voluntary, so as not to scare away potential investment in a high-taxed city that needs to retain and attract business.
To do otherwise could also land the city in legal trouble, according to a 2013 study by the National Cooperative Highway Research Program of socalled local-hire statutes.
Crafting a message
Downtown developer Phil Kuchma, a former council member, addressing that legislative body prior to Monday’s vote, said he supported the ordinance but it must not be portrayed as a requirement.
“This ordinance could have a negative impact on economic development projects in this city. ... Let’s do this well,” Kuchma said. “Let’s not let the wrong message be sent out.”
And, Kuchma said, the ordinance should be backed by efforts to ensure residents are ready to work.
“It’s a great opportunity for the people of city and the city to create a pool,” Kuchma said. “People have to be prepared.”
The assumption behind the ordinance is that devel- opers currently pass over skilled locals.
“These contractors claim they can’t find anybody in Bridgeport to work on some of these jobs,” said Councilwoman the Rev. Mary McBride-Lee.
Newton said, “Out of (a population of) 147,000, we have to have people qualified for jobs.”
In the past, Newton and others have faulted deals between Bridgeport and developers that include project labor agreements (PLAs) requiring the hiring of unionized workers and payment of prevailing wages and benefits.
Critics argue PLAs can shut out locals and minorities — something that has been strongly disputed by organized labor. And PLAs can establish local hiring goals.
Aiding re-entry
Joe Carbone, president of The Workplace, a workforce development nonprofit, said the council’s hiring ordinance sounded like a good, modest initiative. He credited Ganim, who, along with Newton has a criminal record, for prioritizing making Bridgeport friendly for citizens returning from prison.
“I’d like to see more developers — and hopefully this (ordinance) is a guide — offer to be accommodating and work with us on helping to ensure more folks (involved with) reentry programs are hired.”