Bruce Rauner

One of the themes of Governor Bruce Rauner’s speeches since taking office has been how prevailing wage requirements drive up costs.

You can see local prevailing wages here.

Part of the “Turnaround Agenda” bills that were introduced Friday address that subject.

He recommends pulling out that high cost requirement from the following:

• The Local Government Energy Conservation Act (See BGA analysis.)
• The Local Government Facility Lease Act
• Any sports, arts, or entertainment facilities that receive revenue from a tax imposed under subsection (b) of Section 5-1030 of this Code shall be considered to be public works within the meaning of the Prevailing Wage Act
• The School Code
• The Public Community College Act
• any State college or university
• any State agency whose major function is providing educational services
• funds for school construction under Section 5 of the General Obligation Bond Act
• funds authorized under Section 3 of the School Construction Bond Act
• funds for school infrastructure under Section 6z-45 of the State Finance Act

Making it perfectly clear how Rauner feels about prevailing wage is the following suggested paragraph:

“Public works” does not include work done or projects performed by or on behalf of a unit of local government or school district whether or not done under public supervision or paid for wholly or in part with public funds and whether or not owned by a unit of local government or a school district.

Removed from the statute book definition for “public bodies” for purposes of applying the prevailing way act would be the following:

every county, city, town, village, township, school district, irrigation, utility, reclamation improvement or other district and every other political subdivision, district or municipality of the state whether such political subdivision, municipality or district operates under a special charter or not.