Rockland, Putnam: welcome to upstate
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- April
- 14
   Here’s a message from Albany to Rockland and Putnam counties: You may consider yourself part of the metropolitan region but, for purposes of a new state law, you’re part of Upstate.
Changes included in the new state budget in the Wicks Law that governs public-construction sites divides the state into New York City, its suburbs and Upstate. For purposes of the law, the suburbs are only Westchester, Nassau and Suffolk counties.
The difference means that public-construction projects will still be subject to the law that are worth between $500,000 (the upstate limit to exempt jobs from the law) and $1.5 million, (the suburban limit.) In New York City, all jobs under $3 million are now exempt.
Business and government leaders have argued for decades that the law adds as much as 30 percent to the cost of projects by requiring four separate bids on projects, making the jobs hard to coordinate. But organized labor and subcontractors say the law is needed so rein in the power of general contractors.
“When they want money for us, for the MTA, for example, we’re part of the metro region,’’ said Al Samuels of the Rockland Business Association. “But when we could save some money, we’re Upstate.’‘
This entry was posted
on Monday, April 14th, 2008 at 10:31 am by Jay Gallagher.
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