The economy of Wisconsin isn't doing so well under governor and presidential hopeful Scott Walker so, naturally, Republican lawmakers want to shit on it even more.
State lawmakers will soon consider legislation that would repeal the state's "prevailing wage" law that guarantees a fair wage for construction workers and contractors.
Rep. Rob Hutton (R-Brookfield) plans to tack his bill to repeal the state’s nearly century-old “prevailing wage” law for construction workers on local and state projects onto the massive state budget that must pass some time in the next few months. Currently, the law requires contractors bidding for state and local projects to pay workers the average wage in their county for their craft — so a welder in Green Bay will always get the same wage no matter if he or she is local or brought in from another state or country.
If the law is repealed, state and local contracts could be effectively outsourced because outside contractors could be paid less money than local contractors. And for me this begs the question: why the hell would Wisconsin lawmakers want to send state tax dollars outside the state? If cheap labor is brought in from the outside, it isn't going to stay when the job is done.
It may save the state money on infrastructure projects in the short term, but at what long term cost?
In a move that will shock no one, the Koch Brother's American for Prosperity group is launching an ad campaign to support the repeal of good wages, because they won't be happy until everyone is a minimum wage worker there is no minimum wage.
Will Scott Walker sign this legislation if it reaches his desk?
I don't see any reason to believe that he wouldn't. He's running for president, for Pete's sake, and even he wasn't he demonstrated long ago that the Koch Brothers agenda is his agenda.