Prince George’s County Council discusses bill to support Black-owned businesses
News Talk
The Prince George’s County Council’s government operations and fiscal policy committee discussed a bill Thursday that would allocate funds toward supporting Black-owned local businesses.
The legislation would define and add “African American Business Enterprises” to the Prince George’s County Business Expansion and Start-Up Grant Program. This grant program aims to increase industry commerce and support small businesses, according to the Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation.
A quarter of the grant program’s funding — a one-time appropriation of $50 million — will support Black-owned businesses. The funding will also seek to prioritize small businesses inside the Beltway, District 7 council member Krystal Oriadha said. But legislation may face constitutional challenges due its race-conscious preferences, according to the Prince George’s County law office.
Oriadha drafted the legislation last year after she noticed her constituents’ frustration with the lack of support and resources from the county, she told The Diamondback. She hopes the grant program “tangibly” impacts Black-owned businesses.
“We have an opportunity here in Prince George’s County, based on the demographics of our community and the leadership that sits on this body and in the administration, to be the leaders and to be willing to fight for what we believe is...
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