New York lawmakers are weighing major changes to construction wage rules that could raise costs for private developers, according to the Times Union. A key proposal would dissolve the Public Subsidy Board, which critics say has failed to enforce prevailing wage standards effectively.
The move coincides with efforts to lower the threshold for public funding that triggers prevailing wage rules—from 30% to 20%. Union leaders back the shift, arguing it ensures fair pay for workers, while trade groups warn it could spike project costs by up to 30% and stall development.
The board, plagued by deadlock since 2022, has approved prevailing wage requirements for just six of 36 reviewed projects. If abolished, oversight would fall solely to the Labor Department.
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