{"blocks":[{"id":"whllc23c-7xnngunk","type":"linkTool","data":{"link":"https://nypost.com/2026/07/01/real-estate/doormen-and-staff-strike-against-luxury-midtown-manhattan-condo/","meta":{"title":"Inside the swanky midtown building near Billionaires Row where staff finally said enough and walked out","description":"","image":{"url":"https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/newspress-collage-scmaoqje0-1782937807752.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&1782923562&w=171&h=114&crop=1"}},"variant":"compact"}},{"id":"e7qbyhmk-f45x9gtt","type":"linkTool","data":{"link":"https://nypost.com/2026/06/29/opinion/so-much-for-affordability-la-voters-raise-sales-taxes/","meta":{"title":"So much for ‘affordability’: LA voters raise their own taxes, again","description":"","image":{"url":"https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/crop-39829555_ae3690.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&w=171&h=114&crop=1"}},"variant":"compact"}},{"id":"7ckusdy1-8l7jgg6s","type":"linkTool","data":{"link":"https://nypost.com/2026/06/29/business/digital-price-tags-are-spreading-at-retailers-like-walmart-and-sparking-surveillance-fears/","meta":{"title":"How digital price tags are spreading at retailers like Walmart — and sparking ‘surveillance’ fears","description":"","image":{"url":"https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/132117954.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&w=171&h=114&crop=1"}},"variant":"compact"}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Congress passed a “prevailing wage” law in 1931 specifically intended to favor white workers and white-only labor unions over nonunionized and minority workers."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Jim Crow is long gone. But prevailing-wage laws, which restrict qualified businesses from competing for taxpayer-funded public-works projects unless they comply with a host of onerous requirements, are back with a vengeance."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"More than half the states have adopted their own prevailing-wage measures affecting tens of millions, even though these laws have proven time and again to hurt workers, businesses and taxpayers — with the burdens falling disproportionately on minorities and small businesses."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"It’s time to ditch these laws for good."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Prevailing-wage mandates generally require private contractors who bid on public-works projects to provide their employees wages and benefits based on complicated formulas the federal government produces."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"These bureaucrat-generated formulas are often unrealistic and difficult to implement: If a general laborer happens to hammer a nail during the course of his workday, for example, the employer must document that task and pay him as a “carpenter,” at a rate up to three times his regular pay."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"That’s nonsensical, but left-leaning state and local governments across the country don’t care."}},{"id":"77pk2jq8-k1kvgcuf","type":"linkTool","data":{"link":"https://nypost.com/2018/06/05/the-push-for-prevailing-wages-is-just-a-giveaway-to-big-labor/","meta":{"title":"The push for ‘prevailing wages’ is just a giveaway to Big Labor","description":"","image":{"url":"https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/06/prevailing-wage-politics.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&w=171&h=114&crop=1"}},"variant":"compact"}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation in March imposing a prevailing-wage mandate."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Illinois progressives are trying to force existing prevailing-wage requirements on public-works solar projects."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"And in Arizona, the Phoenix and Tempe city councils recently considered (and in Phoenix’s case adopted) prevailing-wage measures."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Both city governments abandoned the mandates only after the Goldwater Institute (where I work) drew attention to their detrimental effects and the fact they violated state law. "}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Among the worst offenders is New York, where a new law recently expanded the state’s prevailing-wage mandate into one of the nation’s most complicated and expansive — to the point that it even covers many private construction projects."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"It’s not just about wages, either: These laws interpret mandatory employee “benefits” to include “apprenticeship programs,” which are notoriously used as union-recruitment tools."}},{"type":"image","data":{"file":{"url":"https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/NYPICHPDPICT000010590949.jpg?w=1024"},"caption":"\n Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a prevailing-wage bill in March. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images"}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"So contractors are frequently forced to provide financial support to union-sponsored programs and trade schools, above and beyond any actual project-related costs."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"What’s more, these mandates often come with stiff penalties even for minor infractions: Contractors who fall out of compliance face heavy fines, crippling lawsuits, legal fees and even prison."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"These risks combined with meticulous record-keeping requirements, complex paperwork and other administrative hoops to jump through are burdens many contractors (particularly small ones) simply can’t afford to bear."}},{"id":"xqyp7m2a-bhxkalwz","type":"linkTool","data":{"link":"https://nypost.com/2018/02/11/nys-obscene-pro-union-prevailing-wage-law-is-driving-public-project-costs-sky-high/","meta":{"title":"NY’s obscene, pro-union ‘prevailing wage’ law is driving public-project costs sky high","description":"","image":{"url":"https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/02/unions-costs-construction.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&w=171&h=114&crop=1"}},"variant":"compact"}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Many businesses — including some that already pay their workers well above market rate — are thus forced out of the market."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"It’s yet another example of a government policy intended to “help” people having disastrous consequences."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Consider minimum-wage hikes: They’re supposed to boost pay for low-income workers, but in reality they lead to fewer jobs for those who need them most and fewer hours and benefits for those who do manage to stay employed."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"But unlike minimum-wage laws, prevailing-wage mandates didn’t even come from good intentions."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"These mandates have a troubling history of racism, anti-immigrant prejudice and government-backed favoritism toward politically connected unions."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"That’s the real story behind the 1931 federal Davis-Bacon Act, which mandates wages and benefits on federally assisted construction projects nationwide."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"It’s well documented that Congress passed the law to prioritize white workers and white-only unions over nonunionized, black and immigrant workers."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"The bill’s supporters didn’t mince words: The congressional record leading up to the law’s enactment is full of derogatory references to “competition with white labor,” “cheap bootleg labor,” “large aggregation of Negro labor” and the like."}},{"type":"image","data":{"file":{"url":"https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/NYPICHPDPICT000008244272.jpg?w=1024"},"caption":"\n Union members and prevailing wage supporters in the Michigan Capitol building for the state’s bill to be voted on. Todd McInturf/Detroit News via AP"}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Indeed, research shows prevailing-wage laws disproportionately harm immigrants, younger workers, small businesses and woman- and veteran-owned businesses."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"They also hurt taxpayers, who are left footing the bill for higher construction costs, and all residents, who must wait longer for public-works projects to be completed."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"

"}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"One recent study found prevailing-wage laws force taxpayers to shell out between 8.5% and 14.3% more for road-construction projects."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"And the Congressional Budget Office calculated in 2016 that repealing federal prevailing-wage mandates could have saved taxpayers $13 billion over nine years."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":""}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Governments throughout the country should learn from these (and other) cautionary tales."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Prevailing-wage measures might sound nice on the surface, but they smuggle in high costs, bureaucratic red tape and favoritism toward large, politically connected unions — all under the guise of helping workers."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Don’t listen to the empty promises: Prevailing-wage laws hurt the very people they’re supposed to help."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"John Thorpe is a staff attorney at the Goldwater Institute."}}]}

John Thorpe

NypJohnThorpe@RoundtableIO

Ditch this Jim Crow-era mandate that hurts minorities most