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Statement by Brian Sampson, President of the Associated Builders and Contractors Empire State Chapter Regarding Assemblyman Bronsonā€™s New Prevailing Wage Bill (A.8418)

By growthzone | June 18, 2019

The new Bronson prevailing wage bill is another sad attempt by the people we elect to do nothing more than appease the unions at the expense of the taxpayers.

Empire Chapter President, Brian Sampson Discusses The Devastating Impact of The New Prevailing Wage Bill

By growthzone | June 18, 2019

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Whatā€™s Pushing Prevailing Wage Into The ‘Big Ugly’

By growthzone | June 11, 2019

A lack of public hearings on the issue and the rush to get the bill passed by the end of session also means that final details of the bill will be determined behind closed doors, according to Brian Sampson, president of Empire Chapter of the Associated Builders and Contractors. ā€œThe potential impact of this bill, as drafted, could stop economic development in parts of this state for a long time,ā€ he said. ā€œWhy aren’t we talking about this bill more openly, and having more discussions and dialogue about it, instead of wrapping it up with a pretty little bow in the ā€˜Big Ugly?ā€™ā€

Union Requirement Inflates Cost of State Fair Bridge

By growthzone | May 23, 2019

A shortage of bids on theĀ New York State Fairgrounds pedestrian bridge projectĀ will leave New Yorkers paying more, but getting less. When plans for the project were released with an accompanying project labor agreement (PLA), the playing field narrowed from 20 companies interested in the project to just two submitting bids, with the lowest bid coming in well in excess of $1 million over engineering estimates. Why the drastic decrease in competition and increase in costs? The answer can be found in three simple letters: PLA.

Another Voice: Benefits Add Hidden Costs to Prevailing Wage Projects

By tschmidt@abcnys.org | May 22, 2019

Letā€™s not be fooled. Proponents of the expansion of prevailing wage are already doing great damage to taxpayers. They shouldnā€™t be allowed to ruin what little positive job growth we now have in New York.

Trade War: Find Out How The Tariffs Are Impacting New York Businesses and Consumers

By growthzone | May 17, 2019

ā€œWhatā€™s clear is that some contractors will have to deal with cost overruns that they canā€™t pass on to their customers,ā€ said Brian Sampson, president of the Associated Builders & Contractors of New York.

ā€œBut in most cases, the increased cost of the tariffs will be passed on to customers resulting in more expensive construction projects or higher costs for capital goods.ā€

First JCC Trades Training Class Graduates; Honored by Officials

By tschmidt@abcnys.org | May 13, 2019

The first class to complete the intensive 10-week, 40-hour construction training course offered by Jefferson Community College was celebrated at a recognition ceremony Friday at the Lewis County JCC Education Center.

Safety Week Begins Today

By growthzone | May 6, 2019

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Engineer Didnā€™t Prove That PLAs Save Money

By growthzone | April 24, 2019

The PLA study, which cost Ogdensburg taxpayers $21,000, purports that with a series of false savings, labor consolidation and ā€œmanagement rights,ā€ the project will save money. Yet no one challenged the studyā€™s creator, Tim Seeler of Seeler Engineering, to positively prove those savings will be achieved. They also never asked him about the negative impact the lack of competition will have on the bidding process. They simply rubber-stamped the study and closed the door on local contractors and their employees.

Shield taxpayers from PLAs

By growthzone | April 18, 2019

A PLA is a pre-hire agreement requiring the workforce comes from local union hiring halls. However, unions only account for 21 percent of the construction workforce across New York, with that number being even smaller in the Lake George area. PLAs effectively bar the majority of local contractors and their workers from bidding and winning work that their own tax dollars fund. PLAs do nothing more than eliminate competition for unions, ensuring their contractors win work, and decrease the number of bids on a project, driving taxpayer expenses.

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