LANSING — Last week, the House of Representatives voted on a proposal to repeal the state’s prevailing wage law, which ensured that workers on state projects were paid a fair wage. The proposal passed by a vote of 56-53. In response, state Rep. Bettie Cook Scott (D-Detroit) issued the following statement:

“Prevailing wage ensured our skilled laborers were able to keep their hard-earned pay and provide for their families. As a former Detroit Public Schools teacher and a retired sergeant from the Detroit Police Department, I know how critical that financial security can be. This repeal was pushed by wealthy special interests and greedy contractors who are more concerned with padding extra profits than they are the lives and well-being of everyday Michiganders. Other states who have followed through with ill-conceived plans like these have found themselves paying more for lower-quality projects, hurting everyone in the long run. Rep. Bettie Cook Scott, I could never support such an irresponsible attempt to harm our state’s workers, our infrastructure and our economy.”

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