Sen. Shilling reacts to report on repealing prevailing wage costing taxpayers $336 million

Supporters claim it would save by not paying construction workers as much.

The attempt by Republican lawmakers to finish off prevailing wage laws in Wisconsin sounds like more of the same for La Crosse state Senator Jennifer Shilling.

“They’re six years into this administration and we continue to see sort of this anemic effort to grow our economy and grow jobs in this state,” Shilling said Tuesday, reacting to a new report that shows repealing the state’s final prevailing wage laws will mean a hit to taxpayers of $336 million.

“The Republican policies, they are costing Wisconsin jobs, it is a shrinking middle class and driving families into poverty,” Shilling said. “2016 was the worst year for jobs in Wisconsin since the great recession.”

The study by the Midwest Economic Policy Institute finds that part of the hit to taxpayers will be from construction workers getting paid, on average, so much less that they wind up getting food stamps and other public benefits.  

In some ways, the idea of dropping remaining prevailing wage laws in Wisconsin makes a lot of sense.  At least, according to Democratic lawmakers, when you consider all of the other anti-labor moves Republicans have taken in the state since Scott Walker became governor.

“For the last six years Gov. Walker and legislative Republicans have repealed worker rights, lowered worker wages and have rewarded companies that have outsourced jobs,” Shilling said.

Supporters of the effort claim it would save taxpayer money by not having to pay as much for construction on public infrastructure projects.