WHAT A MANDATED PLA MEANS FOR SCHOOLS:
HIGHER COSTS
With fewer contractors allowed to bid, projects cost more. Union-only requirements typically raise labor costs by 20%–30%, according to multiple regional analyses of New York construction. Higher labor costs directly increase the total price of school renovations, capital projects, and maintenance work.
LESS FOR STUDENTS
Every extra dollar spent on construction is a dollar taken from classrooms, technology, and student programs. At the end of the day, every dollar spent on inflated construction costs is a dollar not spent on:
- Special education
- Security
- Technology upgrades
- Arts & music programs
- Academic intervention
- School safety projects
- Teacher resources
FEWER LOCAL JOBS
Small and local contractors will be shut out of school projects. Limiting work to union contractors reduces the pool of eligible bidders, especially on Long Island, where a large share of construction workers and firms are non-union.
- Fewer bidders generally leads to higher prices and less innovation, because contractors face less competitive pressure.
- Schools lose the ability to select from the best value options, not just the restricted pool.
PROJECT DELAYS
Tight summer and holiday construction windows may be missed with fewer qualified bidders. When only union shops can bid:
- Projects have to wait for union crews’ availability.
- Local non-union firms, often the fastest responders for emergency work are excluded.
- This can lead to delayed openings, extended summer construction, and reduced flexibility for school calendars.
TAXPAYER BURDEN
Rising costs make it harder for voters to support future school improvements. Increased project costs eventually fall back on property taxpayers, school budgets, or both.
For many districts, especially those with aging buildings, mandated cost increases may lead to:
- Higher taxes
- Deferred maintenance
- Cuts to student-facing programs
- Bond propositions that are harder to pass
Check out this case study
Beacon Hill Institute at Suffolk University study concludes:
- PLAs add about $27/sq. ft. ($46 adjusted for inflation) nearly a 20% cost increase over non-PLA projects
- The increase appears across all project sizes and types
- For 1.79M sq. ft. of PLA projects studied, PLAs added an estimated $48.4 million in extra bid costs
WHAT SCHOOLS NEED
FAIR AND OPEN COMPETITION
FAIR AND OPEN COMPETITION
FAIR AND OPEN COMPETITION
More bidders = lower costs.
LOCAL CONTRACTORS
FAIR AND OPEN COMPETITION
FAIR AND OPEN COMPETITION
Keep school projects in the hands of community businesses and workers.
BETTER USE OF TAX DOLLARS
FAIR AND OPEN COMPETITION
BETTER USE OF TAX DOLLARS
Stretch budgets to maximize what students receive.