APPROVED OCTOBER 9, 2024

RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

GREATER UTICA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

WHEREAS,  New York State has “prevailing wage rate” mandates for public sector construction projects in which public entities must require hired contractors to pay their employees wage rates that typically far exceed the market rate for private construction wages;  and

WHEREAS,  legislative bills S.5868 and A.7491  were passed by the legislature during the most recent session that would require private sector brownfield remediation projects to pay the so-called prevailing wage rates to qualify for the tangible property tax credit;  and

WHEREAS,  state Senate bill S.489-A was also passed that would require that prevailing wage rates be paid for the construction, installation, and maintenance of electric vehicle charging stations;  and

WHEREAS,  both pieces of legislation present a further advancement of the ongoing expansion of prevailing wage requirements into private sector projects development projects; and

WHEREAS,  Senate bill S.5868 pertaining to brownfield cleanups has yet to be placed under review by the Governor Hochul, and Senate bill S.489.A remains dependent on the development of a state-wide EV station plan from NYSERDA before gubernatorial review;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Greater Utica Chamber of Commerce opposing the continuing expansion of prevailing wage rate mandates into the private sector, which increases the cost of economic development projects and thereby discourages such projects, and urges New York Governor Kathy Hochul to veto any legislation that would do so.