Do Lower Prevailing Wages Reduce Public Construction Costs?

Howard Wial |

Opponents of prevailing wage laws often argue that repealing or weakening these laws will lower the cost of public construction projects because such action will reduce the wages and benefits of construction workers employed on public projects. Data on Pennsylvania public school construction projects during the period in which lower prevailing rates were in effect do not support this claim. This report examines those findings and the current available data.

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