Charleston Daily Mail – The day before a state Senator plans to introduce another bill that would repeal the prevailing wage rates for construction projects in West Virginia, a report was released by a nonprofit organization funded by organized labor which concluded that a repeal would harm the state’s economy. Read
The 10-page study released by the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy reinforces several claims made by proponents of prevailing wage while attempting to debunk those made by opponents.
One aspect of the report focuses on school construction. Opponents often say the costs associated with school construction is artificially inflated because of the prevailing wage law.
But the report compares construction costs for elementary and secondary schools, as well as universities, finding that in every category West Virginia has lower costs than neighboring states which do not have a prevailing wage law.