Page 4 - 4-17-15 Friday's Edition

Letters To the Editor
Are Black Companies Being Excluded At TIA?
It was recently reported in the Tampa Bay Business Journal that Concessions In- ternational (CI), considered to be the oldest, most suc- cessful African American owned airport food conces- sions business in the nation and the Tinsley-Bridgeman Group were not rated favor- ably by the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority (HCAA) selection committee which influences the award- ing of contracts to operate restaurants at the airport.
This is highly mysterious for a number of reasons, but the main reason is the Black companies’ greater experi- ence in airport restaurants. All things supposedly being equal, these Black companies can stand toe-to-toe or head- to- head with any competi- tion, in the respective pack- ages for which they are bidding on. On the surface, it appears that recently formed companies with partners that have little or no actual air- port food concessions experi- ence scored higher than CI, a Black owned family company that has been in the airport concessions business for more than 40 years.
CI’s experience is impecca- ble and they are currently op- erating nearly 50 food concepts in 9 major airports including Dallas, Miami, Denver, Washington D.C. and the nation’s busiest air- port, Atlanta Hartsfield. Ac- cording to local reports, the
selection committee ranked CI at the bottom of the list, which is very odd considering their company’s history of performance and national reputation.
The community needs to know that for several years, the executive leadership at TIA has made public com- ments about their commit- ment to diversity and economic inclusion of African Americans as Prime Concession Operators. An- other African American owned company, Tinsley – Bridgeman an Airport Disad- vantaged Commercial Busi- ness Enterprise also scored lower than a company that was reported in the local news as having contributed funds to the campaign of one of one local elected official, currently serving on the HCAA Board.
How can this be explained?
The Tinsley Group operates the most profitable restau- rant concept brand in that chain for over 9 consecutive years. The Tinsley Group currently has 150 employees, 70% minority, working at its TIA restaurants. If the Tins- ley – Bridgeman Group had received higher marks, and had a better chance of being awarded a package in this competition, the result could be 500 new jobs for Tampa and progressive for minori- ties.
The process is not final until Joe Lopano, Executive Direc-
tor at HCAA, makes a deci- sion based on the selection committee recommenda- tions.
But the Black community must ask the question, where is the real diversity in the process? Is there real eco- nomic inclusion of African American owned companies in this multimillion dollar ex- pansion of TIA concessions?
HCAA Board Members in- clude Mayor Bob Buckhorn, County Commissioner Victor Crist and 3 Governor Rick Scott appointees.
More than four years ago the Tampa Organization of Black Affairs (TOBA) and the Saturday Morning Breakfast Group (SMBG) raised the issue of economic inclusion as TIA made plans for its $4.1 billion renovation and trans- formation of concessions at the airport. This year, TOBA recognized Mr. Lopano at the Annual TOBA Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Breakfast. TOBA expects Mr. Lopano to live up to his promises regarding diversity.
TOBA and the SMBG will be reviewing the selection com- mittee recommendations and whether any serious consid- eration was given to Black economic inclusion. It is time for a change and time for greater business opportuni- ties for African Americans.
James Ransom, TOBA Board member and Saturday Morning Breakfast
Club president
Legislator Will Continue Fight Until Medicaid Expansion Happens
There are almost one million Floridians that don't have any form of healthcare coverage i n the state of Florida. Many of them are working peo- ple who earn too much to receive free coverage and yet don't earn enough to purchase a reasonably priced healthcare plan. The only hope they have for an expansion of Medi- caid in the state of Florida rests in the Florida Senate and with MOST members of the House Democratic Caucus.
My Republican coun- terparts have made it clear that they refuse to accept any form of Medicaid ex- pansion. But more dis- turbing was when several Democratic caucus mem- bers broke away from the caucus position that so clearly defines us as De- mocrats and voted to sup- port the house budget that DID NOT include Medi- caid expansion.
While many of those Democrats would give speeches on the House floor that would bemoan the lack of this, their votes showed a willingness to put their own interests in front of the health and well-being of our brothers and sisters statewide.
Having access to healthcare is a fundamen- tal right that everyone should have, regardless of their income level or edu- cation. Other "conserva- tive" states have found a way to recapture their fed- eral dollars and use them in a beneficial way. Florida can do the same if it accepts the plan cur- rently offered by the Sen-
EDWIN (ED) NARAIN
ate budget.
The days of Florida
being a "donor" state must end (i.e. - the Bullet Train money in 2010). Once again, our governor has changed positions and is now against Medicaid ex- pansion in our state. His conscious must have evolved since the 2014 election where he claimed he couldn't in "good con- scious deny people the right to healthcare."
Considering the num- ber of jobs Healthcare ex- pansion would create statewide, we should all be disappointed, but not sur- prised he's gotten off his "jobs" message.
Although we are down to the final few weeks of session, in the timeless words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. - "The time is always right to do the right thing." You can count on your State Repre- sentative to do exactly that. Let's expand Medi- caid in Florida.
EDWIN (ED) NARAIN (Dem) State Representative District 61
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