House Republican Press Release

April 21, 2006

Press Office: 860-240-8700

Williams Applauds Defeat of Anti-Taxpayer Measure

Bi-Partisan Coalition of Commerce Committee Members Kill Bill in Waning Session Days

HARTFORD- This week State Representative Sean Williams (R- Watertown) helped lead a bi-partisan coalition to defeat a bill before the Commerce Committee which would have extended prevailing wage law requirements to any publicly-financed project that receives $ 400,000 or more in financial assistance from any state agency, and any political subdivision of the state, including municipalities. The bill defines financial assistance as any grant, loan, loan guarantee or tax benefit not of general applicability.

The bill would have essentially mandated that all employees set to work on state and municipal construction projects that are more than $ 400,000 for new construction or $ 100,000 for repair or remodeling be paid prevailing wage rates.

“This bill would have created another unfunded mandate on cities and towns, and unnecessarily inflated the cost of innumerable projects,” said Representative Williams.  “You cannot say you support property tax reform, and turn around and vote for a bill like this.  These kinds of bills have a direct impact on local property taxes and it is a victory for tax payers that it died.”

The measure had been referred from the state Senate to the Commerce Committee, where it failed on a 13-7 bi-partisan vote.  Failure of a bill to pass a committee at this late stage in the legislative process ends the prospects for passage.  The 2006 regular session of the General Assembly ends at midnight, Wednesday May 3^rd.