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$15B California school construction bond to go before voters (CA)

AUTHOR – Kim Slowey
PUBLISHED – Sept. 16, 2019

Dive Brief:

  • California lawmakers have agreed on the terms of a $15 billion construction bond program that will now go before state voters in March. The money would go toward public preschool, K-12 and higher education construction and modernization projects.
  • If approved by voters, the lion’s share of the funding – $9 billion – will be used for preschool and K-12 projects: $2.8 billion for new construction; $5.2 billion for modernization; $500 million for charter schools; and $500 million for career technical schools. The University of California and the system’s Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco will be able to tap into $2 billion, as will California State University facilities and the California Community Colleges system.
  • The state’s General Services Department will prioritize projects for facilities that have posed health or life safety hazards, followed by those proposed by school districts with financial hardships; school facilities that have concerns with lead in water; projects that have been waiting for approval for two quarters; and new construction or modernization projects that will ease overcrowding.

Dive Insight:

If voters approve the legislation next year, that’s good news for the California contractors that specialize in school construction, but it has also raised questions from some about the role that project labor agreements (PLAs) play in the measure.

In Section 17070.56(a)(2) of the bill, within each priority category, those projects that use a PLA will be given first consideration. So, for example, if there are 10 projects that are meant to deal with some health or safety hazard, the projects that use a PLA will be given priority over the others.

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L&I investigation results in $66,500 in back pay for 28 workers

August 19, 2016
For media information: Matthew Erlich, Public Affairs, Matthew.Erlich@lni.wa.gov, 360-902-6508.

 

Tumwater – A state investigation into a company that closed before paying employees everything they were owed on two public projects has resulted in 28 workers receiving more than $66,500 in back pay.

Eltech Electric Inc. of Seattle abruptly ceased work on the projects at the end of September 2015. Complaints filed with the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries led to an investigation that cleared the way for the workers to be paid.

The workers were involved in two public projects: construction of the Green River Community College student life center in Auburn, and repair work on the state ferry M/V Kaleetan.

The 65,000-square-foot Mel Lindbloom Student Union building opened in February. Prime contractor Walsh Construction required its subcontractors, including Eltech Electric, to have a bond. L&I was able to get money from that bond for the workers who were not fully paid when Eltech closed unexpectedly.

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