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SOMERS, N.Y. – State Sen. Greg Ball got an earful from the Somers Town Board Thursday about how the state's prevailing wage law is wreaking havoc on the municipality's budget.
“It practically doubles the cost of any capital project in town," Supervisor Mary Beth Murphy told Ball. "Tonight we’re voting on new roofs for three buildings, costing $318,000. No private person would pay that. But we have to pay the prevailing wages that the unions set, including all the benefits and everything else. It’s a huge issue. I’d encourage you to put it on the top of your mandate relief package.”
The law requires all public works contractors and subcontractors to pay the county's minimum prevailing wage, plus benefits. It applies to every job, from watchman to delivery person, but does not include clerical, sales, professional and technical jobs.
“We have a lot of older buildings that need to be fixed," Councilman Thomas Garrity said. "We’ve put budgets together. But with the new prevailing wage law, it’s now 20, even 40 percent more expensive. It’s really stifling us here, as we’re trying to repair buildings.
“For example," he continued, "it’s a shame that we put a budget together to build a concession stand and all of a sudden you throw in the prevailing wage law and it’s $30,000 more. It makes no sense.”
Councilman Rick Morrissey added, “We don’t want to increase taxes and it’s really frustrating. We’re trying to keep our infrastructure intact.”
Ball, who had come to the Town Board meeting to discuss his progress since taking office, said, “When it comes to infrastructure, use us as a partner. Times are tough. No doubt we need more unfunded mandate relief.”
In his presentation to the board, Ball cited the MTA tax repeal, pension reform, hydrofraking, animal rights and unfunded mandate relief.
He also mentioned three grants he brought specifically to Somers: $10,000 for Kennedy Catholic High School, $50,000 for the Somers Library and $100,000 for a baseball field.
Comments (5)
Well Trishna, you do make sense. I think the wage laws are just put in place to make both parties go against each other. We all need support from one another because taxes and wages work in a chain reaction system. The main concern is not about how much the bankers or capitalists or even the lawyers contribute, but there has to be a control to provide a win-win situation for everyone involved, and not just benefit one party.
We need to stop letting people pit us against each other. Those of us who pay taxes are the same people who need prevailing wage laws to live! Unions are not "them". Union members are "US". Unions members live in Somers and pay taxes too. We have to work together to solve these issues and stop blaming in sweeping generalization. It's not taxpayers vs. unions members. Union members ARE THE TAXPAYERS!!! It's the people who pay LITTLE in taxes - the investment bankers, the venture capitalists, the 1% - who are screwing us!!! They want us to fight each other so they aren't held responsible!
Greg Ball needs to spend less time and money promoting himself and more time helping all his constituents in useful, constructive ways. If he was truly "gettin it done," as his billboards and lawn signs say, we would see more results in Albany.
One only need remember that New York State is the land of opportunity for POLITICIANS to daily decide that you need to surrender more of your money to assure their continued place in the Halls of Power. This is among the reasons New York is a failed State.
Remember that UNIONS equal POLITICIANS - your money feeds Unions, Unions feed Politicians, Politicians TAX your money to feed Unions.
You loose. Roll over, be good, New York State (aka Politicians) needs your money.
Only Office holders at the Town level are accountable - they face you when they vote and there is no hiding.
What the article fails to mention is that Senator Ball voted in favor of the Prevailing Wage Law! This law is costing the taxpayers and all he had to say was I don't see this being part of unfunded mandate relief! These politicians claim to be cutting taxes and working for the taxpayer when in reality they are increasing our taxes by passing laws like the Prevailing Wage Law and increasing Fees that the average tax payer has no idea about.