The Little Rock City Board is preparing to consider a measure intended to promote a stronger effort to have appointments to city boards and commission better reflect the racial makeup of the city. They have tended to be disproportionately white. (And male.)
The ordinance sets no quotas. It says the mayor, with Board confirmation, “shall make every effort” to make appointments that reflect the racial percentages of those eligible to serve.
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A person must be 18 to serve on a city board. According to 2007 data, the proposal says, 39.6 percent of those eligible are black and 5.2 percent are Latino.