Bethlehem’s effort to hire ‘responsible contractors’ will hurt small businesses | Opinion

By Joseph Perpiglia

Many municipalities, counties and school boards in Eastern Pennsylvania have chosen to enact Responsible Contractor Ordinances (RCO). These ordinances are marketed to local officials to ensure local bidding processes are protected from irresponsible bidders; however, the way they are authored have proven to have negative impacts on the communities that enact them.

Bethlehem City Councilwoman Grace Crampsie-Smith introduced an RCO, in her view, to assure that contractors working in Bethlehem are participating in apprenticeship programs that are registered with the state. At the Aug. 17, Bethlehem City Council’s Public Works Committee – a committee in which she chairs – the councilwoman asked: “How can the city be sure if a company is qualified and responsible, unless we can prove they are participating in apprenticeship?” According to this statement, the councilwoman is of the opinion that only contractors that participate in…

Read more…