It All Starts with You
In the United States, 65% of our cities have either delayed or canceled improvements to their roads, bridges, water and sewer systems, electrical grids and other desperately needed infrastructure. Few have the funds to provide for the preventative maintenance these systems require, yet alone plan for improvements. The problem is becoming more and more apparent. Our states, cities and small towns are struggling to maintain the infrastructure we all rely upon every day.
West Virginia is no exception
We have put off maintenance of our infrastructure projects for years. The reason is not a lack of will or expertise, but a lack of funding. Ironically, part of the reason we lack the funding to maintain these assets is because of their poor condition. Without good roads, reliable internet service, quality water municipal systems and an efficient electrical grid, West Virginia misses out on many opportunities for economic growth that would generate the tax revenue necessary to correct these very problems.
Restoring the Infrastructure in West Virginia
So how can West Virginia restore its infrastructure and benefit from the increased economic activity that restoration will attract? How can our state improve the quality of our roads and provide our citizens with quality water and sewer systems and reliable internet access, while delivering the many basic services we rely on?
We can fund the infrastructure improvements we need so badly by putting more tax-paying West Virginians to work. More working West Virginians means more tax revenue to support infrastructure improvements that then attract tax-paying businesses who, in turn, contribute to a stronger infrastructure and hire even more West Virginians. This cycle of investment and reinvestment is often referred to as the “multiplier effect.”
Putting More West Virginians to Work
We can take the first step toward putting more West Virginian’s to work and encouraging businesses to locate here by restoring our Prevailing Wage Law. A law the Repealers in our State Legislature eliminated in 2016 – ignoring the fact that prevailing wage has proven to be a great economic development tool.
Why reinstate Prevailing Wage Law?
Simply put, a Prevailing Wage Law ensures that workers are paid a fair wage based on a regional survey of rates for their particular level of skill and experience. In other words, the going rate.
The effectiveness of prevailing wage in attracting the best workers and producing the highest quality work product has been demonstrated over and over in state after state. Ultimately, prevailing wage delivers taxpayers a far greater efficiency in the use of their money.
Just as important, it ensures that local workers get first crack at taxpayer-funded infrastructure projects. Skilled local workers do the job quickly and efficiently, pay local taxes and spend their paychecks here at home in local shops, grocery stores and other businesses. That’s a boon for everyone..
States that have prevailing wage laws are prospering – it’s as simple as that. Meanwhile, here in West Virginia, the repeal our Prevailing Wage Law has been a disaster, and the tax savings promised to us by those who repealed it never materialized.
West Virginians need to Speak Up
West Virginia can and should be one of those states with a vibrant economy; one that retains its best and brightest minds while providing a standard of living worthy of its citizens. But we have to speak up.
All across the state, West Virginians are raising their voices to support the restoration of our Prevailing Wage Law. Everyone knows this law is a reset for our state – an economic engine that can move us forward and benefit us all.
You can help restore prevailing wage by signing our petition. Please get on board and help us to restore Prevailing Wage Law to Restore West Virginia!
Find your West Virginia representatives here and reach out to them to let them know you would like them to reinstate the Prevailing Wage Law.
You can help restore the Prevailing Wage Law by signing the petition. Sign your name, share with your friends, and let’s restore the Prevailing Wage Law to help keep our young people here and move West Virginia forward.