Lawmakers Call for Action on Topper Bill to Reform Prevailing Wage Law
HARRISBURG – In a press conference today in Harrisburg, Rep. Jesse Topper (R-Bedford/Fulton/Franklin) led a group of lawmakers from across the Commonwealth in calling for action on legislation which would reform Pennsylvania’s outdated Prevailing Wage Act. In particular, the legislators referenced Topper’s
House Bill 707, which would exempt school construction projects from the law, which requires that all public bodies pay the prevailing minimum wage, as determined by the secretary of Labor and Industry, when a project exceeds $25,000.
“School districts across the state are working now on their budgets for the year ahead,” Topper said. “We, as legislators, need to make sure our schools are making the most efficient use of their funding. There is no way they can do that under the current prevailing wage system, which requires them to overpay for construction projects.”
According to the state Department of Education, Pennsylvania school districts spent more than $7 billion on construction projects between 2000 and 2010. A 2001 study by the Journal of Education Finance found that districts are paying an additional 17 percent in labor costs due to the Commonwealth’s Prevailing Wage Act.
“Even if the cost is only cut by 10 percent, school districts across the state would save $700 million in construction costs over the course of 10 years,” Topper added. “This is a way to improve education without going to taxpayers to foot the bill.”
“Two of the most important issues we discuss in Harrisburg are school property taxes and state funding of education,” said House Education Committee Chairman Stan Saylor (R-York). “This bill would put funds back in the hands of our school districts, so that they can be used to improve education programs or to cut school property taxes. I look forward to committee consideration of this important bill in the near future.”
To view Topper’s video comments, click here.
For more legislative news, go to
www.RepTopper.com.
Representative Jesse Topper
78th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Nick Ruffner
717.260.6258
nruffner@pahousegop.com