The St. Joseph County Council late Tuesday approved a bill that removes affirmative action and minority hiring efforts as ways businesses can receive larger property tax breaks.
In 2008 a large, diverse group of community leaders and volunteers spent months crafting St. Joseph County’s property tax abatement ordinance. They decided to give larger discounts to companies that use affirmative action for hiring racial minorities.
But two council members, Republicans Amy Drake and Andy Rutten, introduced a bill that eliminates any references to affirmative action and minority hiring. The council passed the bill Tuesday night on a 5-4 party-line vote.
They were bolstered by a Supreme Court ruling last year banning race as a factor in college admissions, and by the Trump administration’s continued assault on DEI and affirmative action.
“We are presenting this bill tonight because we feel the tide has shifted on affirmative action," Drake said. "The process uses unequal treatment to strive for equal treatment and that hypocrisy is wrong.”
