Senate Journal: Page 777: Thursday, March 21, 2002
need a legal framework that ensures minimum qualifications for workers guaranteeing
the quality and timeliness of work performed on publicly funded projects.
Ensuring quality and timeliness is a function of the experience and training of
workers involved. Experience and training are reflected in the wages paid to workers.
I acknowledged early on in the debate that a level playing field must exist for bidding,
and I worked to develop a framework with lawmakers that would provide for
competitive bids while maintaining quality and timeliness of work. My plan would
replace the current project labor agreement structure with a prevailing wage and
minimum qualifications for workers on publicly funded projects. With such a plan,
quality, timeliness, competitive bidding, and wage concerns are all addressed.
Unfortunately, the Legislature declined to address these concerns.
Iowa needs a system that focuses on the lowest qualified competitive bid to ensure
that work is done properly, on-time, without increased maintenance and repair
expenses, and without increased exposure to liability. Senate File 2048 does not
accomplish this goal and, in fact, restricts it in some instances.
For the above reasons, I hereby respectfully disapprove Senate File 2048. Public
entities will still have the ability to decide whether to use project labor agreements as a
tool or not, depending on what is in the best public interest.
Sincerely,
THOMAS J. VILSACK
Governor
AMENDMENTS FILED
S-5237 S.F. 2301 House
S-5238 H.F. 2515 Robert E. Dvorsky
S-5239 H.F. 2075 Neal Schuerer
Tom Flynn
S-5240 H.F. 2532 John P. Kibbie
Richard F. Drake
Sheldon Rittmer
S-5241 H.F. 2532 Sheldon Rittmer
Richard F. Drake
John P. Kibbie
S-5242 S.F. 2152 House
S-5243 H.F. 2116 Patricia Harper
Johnie Hammond
© 2002 Cornell College and
League of Women Voters of Iowa
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