L. Tarango Trucking v. County of Contra Costa

OPINION AND AND ORDER

In this class action lawsuit, plaintiffs allege that the County of Contra Costa and its Board of Supervisors (“County”) intentionally discriminate against women-owned and minority-owned businesses in awarding County contracts, in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. A fifteen-day bench trial was held on June 4-7, 11-14, and 18-21, and October 15-17, 2001. The following constitutes the Court’s findings of fact and conclusions of law, as required by Rule 52(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.

I.

This class action lawsuit was brought by L. Tarango Trucking; Lidia Tarango; Harrison’s Consulting; Lisa Harrison; F.E. Jordan Associates; Frederick Jordan; Laid Rite Floor Coverings; Glenn Fox; Hercules/Pinole/Rodeo, El Cerrito, Pittsburg and Richmond Branches of the NAACP; Northern California Latin Business Association; and the Coalition for Economic Equity. The defendants are the County and the members of its Board of Supervisors, in their official capacity: John Gioia, Gayle Uilkema, Donna Gerber, Joe Canciamilla, and Mark Desaulnier.

On February 12, 2001, the lawsuit was certified as a…