Circle June 1 on your calendar if you are interested in the battle over repealing the state’s controversial Prevailing Wage law. That’s the deadline set by Chris FISHER at the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of Michigan and the group Protecting Michigan Taxpayers.
“We’re excited,” Fisher told MIRS, as he is confident the 100 or so volunteer and paid petition drive circulators will come up with upwards of 400,000 signatures to meet the state requirement of 253,000 valid signatures to force a vote on the repeal in the state Legislature.
This is the second attempt by ABC to collect enough names. The first effort failed and Fisher reported the lesson learned was, “rely on a different firm for the names.”
Now the National Petition Management firm is in the field. Fisher indicated there’s a chance the previous company, the Silver Bullet Group, may be asked to repay ABC for its failure to collect enough names the first time around.
“Check with our attorney,” Fisher said. “We are exploring recourse.”
Asked when this might be tackled by lawmakers he added “sooner than later,” as he’d like to get it done before the fall session, which would be just before the House elections. A repeal of the state’s prevailing wage law was the first bill introduced this term. He said his group would not be pushing it if the leaders of it thought it would fail.
He is reluctant to disclose how many names have been gathered, but he does say it is over 10,000.
“I’m confident we will get the names,” he concluded. If so, it will set up another legislative fight with organized labor, which opposes the repeal.
If legislators fail to pass the proposal, it would go to a statewide ballot for citizens to decide.