BUFFALO, NY (WKBW) -- A movement to repeal a law that has been on the books for nearly a century is expected to move in to high gear today.
A lawsuit was filed nearly a year ago to repeal the Wicks Law, and court proceedings are scheduled to begin today.
The law mandates how bidding is done for public construction projects, and requires only local workers be hired for local projects.
Critics maintain that the law reduces efficiency and raises costs because the overall construction process lies with the public entity which typically has little expertise in that area.
Coordination problems often result in costly delays, and most private developers and nearly all states employ a single contract method. This means that the authority to coordinate the project is vested in a general contractor, who has a financial interest in ensuring that projects are completed in a cost-effective and efficient manner.
Opponents also say that costs are incurred when lawsuits are brought against municipalities for losses that developers incur as a result of project delays. Additional costs are also added from increased administrative expenses, as well as the added costs resulting from contractors who automatically increase initial bids for projects subject to Wicks, in order to compensate for the anticipated delays and problems.
For more information on the movement to repeal the Wicks Law, visit this site.
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