Unshackle Upstate Calls Senate Inaction on Wicks Law Reform a Disappointment

ALBANY, NY (08/06/2009)(readMedia)-- Unshackle Upstate today expressed disappointment that the state Senate did not consider amending the New York City school governance bill to include a Wicks Law exemption for upstate school districts.

The Wicks Law requires state and local government construction projects to have separate plumbing, heating/ventilation/air conditioning (HVAC) and electrical contracts. Since 1988, New York City schools have been exempt from the Law, while it has remained in effect for upstate school districts. The result has led to higher construction costs for upstate schools and, therefore, higher taxes for upstate residents and employers.

The Wicks Law, which dates back to 1912, was enacted to promote competition in the bidding process and protect workers' rights. Unshackle Upstate recommended to the Senate an amendment that would have extended to the rest of the state's school districts the same level of exemption currently offered to New York City.

"There is a double-standard in the law, which hurts upstate employers and residents," said Brian Sampson, executive director of Unshackle Upstate, a coalition of 45,000 employers with 1.5 million employees. "We strongly urge the Senate to address this issue when it returns to close the $2.1 billion mid-year budget deficit. Upstate school construction projects should not be subject to a different set of rules."

Unshackle Upstate is a bi-partisan coalition represents more than 45,000 employers with approximately 1.5 million workers in every region of upstate. The coalition's website www.unshackleupstate.com provides a direct way for citizens to send a message to elected officials in Albany.