Prevailing Wage Laws and School Construction Costs

At the request of the Prince George's County Council, I conducted this analysis of the impact of prevailing wages on public school construction projects. The county council commissioned this study to guide them as they consider the adoption of a bill to require adherence to state prevailing wage rates int he construction of public schools. While the state of Maryland has a prevailing wage law, it mandates the payment of prevailing wages only for those school projects for which the state provides 75 percent or more of the funding. Prince George's County is embarking on a six year capital program for the construction and/or renovation of eighteen schools in the county...