Mon, 10 Oct 2005 11:14:51
by Eddie Dillard

Pill Hill Printing has donated printing services to numerous local non profit organizations and supported many individuals with contributions in their time of need.

Oakland - Recently the Oakland City Council received a request from a local Oakland based Black owned and operated business for assistance in restructuring a City of Oakland loan. The vote by the council was 4 for and 4 against with Council woman Nancy Nadel (District 3), Council woman Deslie Brooks (District 6), Council President Ignacio de la Fuente (District 5), and Council woman Pat Kerrigan (District 2) all voting in favor of allowing Pill Hill Printing to restructuring the City loan to enable the owner to repay the City of Oakland by refinancing his home and the City forgiving the second loan.

The owners of Pill Hill Printing originally requested $650,000 and the City made a loan of $450,000. The firm drew down approximately $267,000 and because of the 39 conditions placed on the buisiness Pill Hill could not meet the requirements to access the additional funds. In addition, the Company lost a printing contract with the city to a firm located in Burlingame, a contract worth over $175,000 per year.

The Councilmembers voting against the restructering were Councilmember Henry Chang (At-Large), Council woman Jane Bruner (District 1), Council woman Jean Quan (District 4) and the only Black man on the City Council, Larry Reid (District 7).

City staff created a hositle enviornment when they told the council that HUD (U.S. Department of housing and Urban Development) officials had sent a letter indicating that the City of Oakland may have to repay any monies forgiven on the Pill Hill loan because the company failed to meet the employment objectives of the loan. It was latter revealed that of the 57 loans that the City approved only 3 met the employment objectives and in addition, over two thirds of the loans were either in default or bankrucpy.

Loans have been forgiven on various other projects but the difference is that these loans were made to white owned companies. " For a Black City Councilman to deny a Black Business owner the same opportunity as a white business man is "Black on Black Crime" said a local black buniessman.

Pill Hill Printing has been operating in Oakland for the past 15 years and recently relocated from the Telegraph location to a warehouse in West Oakland near the Bart Station. Pill Hill Printing has donated printing services to numerous local non profit organizations and supported many individuals with contributions in their time of need. Now the firm needs the support of the community. The tie breaker in this case is Mayor Jerry Brown. He must come to the council and physically cast a yes or no vote on the Pill Hill Loan restructing request.

We all know that white businesses are treated differently than Black businesses and if Mayor Jerry Brown wants Blacks to vote for him to be California State Attorney General we should demand that he cast a yes vote on Pill Hill and let his vote determine black support. If he is not fair on this vote how can blacks expect him to represent fairness and the State Attorney General for the all Californians.

A group of Black business owners has sued the City of Oakland for discrimmination in lending including the Print Shop, Geffory Pete, Brooks Hamilton and others claiming the city uses different rules based on race. The NAACP and all the other civil rights minded organizations should be involved in the deliberations of these issues. If Oakland can forgive loans to Phil Tagami, Al Davis, Just Deserts and countless others why change the rules for black folks?

Oakland citizens should contact the Mayor's office and let the black voices be heard on this grossly unfair and unjustice issue. Call (510) 238-3301 or email OfficeoftheMayor@Oaklandnet.com.

Eddie Dillard is President of the Black Wall Street Merchants Association and the President and CEO of the Oakland Black Board of Trade and Commerce, He can be reached at (510) 706-9005 edillard@blackwallstreet.org

SEARCH subjectkeyword