Dear Chamber Member:
In times such as these, our business community needs to band together to push back on illogical legislation. We would greatly appreciate your help to express concerns to your local Senate and Assembly members with regard to proposed legislation in Albany. The legislation currently being considered — S.1947 (Ramos) / A.1261 (Bronson) — would dramatically increase the cost of current and future construction and development projects in New York.
The Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce has joined a statewide coalition of nearly 40 other business and economic development leaders who are combating legislation that would implement prevailing wage standards on projects receiving any level of state financial support. The bill would also classify Industrial Development Authorities (IDAs) and Local Development Corporations (LDCs) as “public entities” and the projects in which they engage as “public works,” subjecting any project they support to prevailing wage laws. This means almost all construction projects in the state would cost up to 25% more due to the implementation of prevailing wage! This applies to our local hospital expansion and most local development projects. A higher cost of doing business means a higher cost of living for everyone.
With this added expense, fewer projects will be built, economic development would undoubtedly suffer and there will be fewer jobs for New Yorkers. As it is, New York has one of the highest costs of doing business in the country and to add an additional burden will further challenge our economic strength.
We would greatly appreciate your help to express concerns to your local Senate and Assembly members and to do so the coalition has developed an easy way by clicking here. Please express your concerns and tell your stories. If you are aware of local project developers that would be adversely impacted by this proposed wage mandate, The Business Council of New York is looking for region-specific projects to highlight in their coalition media campaign, please email Ken Pokalsky with this information.
We are all for uplifting wages, and your Chamber practices what we preach through our Workforce Development Programming. However, we strongly believe the way to increase the standard of living is through higher education and giving skills to the workforce. Our focus should be on adding value and worth to the individual, not falsely increasing wages, the cost of doing business and ultimately increasing the overall tax burden on each and every New Yorker.
Sincerely,
Frank M. Castella Jr.
President & CEO
Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce
