Assembly Labor Committee chair Andre Jacque (R-DePere) says he has the votes to advance the bill. “Obviously I do believe I have the support for this otherwise I would not be bringing it forward.”
Christine Sinicki (D-Milwaukee) says the proposal is being crammed through on short notice. “So your intention then, if I understood you right, is to try to pretty much sneak this into the budget at the last minute.
Senator Leah Vukmir (R-Wauwatosa) authored the Senate bill. Even though Democrats disagree, she and other Republicans say a full repeal would save millions of taxpayer dollars. “Prevailing wage is an enormous unfunded mandated from state government.”
AUDIO: (:15) Representative Cory Mason (D-Racine) disagrees repealing the law would save money, citing Legislative Fiscal Bureau numbers.
GOP leaders in both chambers have said they don’t yet have the votes to support a full repeal, but are instead looking into reforming the current law.
Prevailing wage requires construction workers involved in government projects be paid a set minimum wage based on a state formula.
AUDIO: (:11) Senator Leah Vukmir (R-Wauwatosa) authored the Senate bill.
The Senate bill failed to pass through committee earlier this month. Author of the Assembly bill Representative Rob Hutton (R-Brookfield) also testified before the committee. He calls the law “archaic.”
AUDIO: Jackie Johnson report