Stand Up and Be Heard at the Washington Summit

Unemployment in the construction industry remains above 27 percent! Congress is failing to address the estate tax, (a.k.a. Death Tax) despite it scheduled to come back in full force in 2011! The Senate continues to drag its feet on a bill authorizing the EPA’s Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) programs despite documented needs of over $500 billion!

Are You Mad Yet?

You should be. Your voice needs to be heard, but it will only be heard if you’re in Washington, D.C., speaking with your legislators along side your colleagues from NUCA at the Washington Summit May 17-19 (see p. 39 for details). NUCA is storming the Hill, but our voices will not be heard if we’re not there in force. This is my last effort before May to encourage you to attend. We have a host of issues to bring to the forefront this year, and your voice is needed. So let’s talk about some of the issues.

Obviously, health care has been the big domestic issue this year, and what a fight it has been. Let’s face it — this is a bad bill all around, but it could have been a lot worse. The Senate version of the bill included a provision introduced by Sen. Jeff Merkely (D-Ore.) that would have singled out the construction industry by forcing small “construction employers” with as few as five full-time employees to either pay a penalty or provide a new government-approved health insurance plan. Businesses with 50 or fewer employees in every other industry sectors would be afforded an exemption from this mandate.

Fortunately, the Merkley language was stripped out in the health care reconciliation bill, which became law on March 30 (HR 4872). That is very good news but it wouldn’t have been possible without the strong and active efforts by NUCA’s grassroots network of members.

Let’s talk taxes. The Estate Tax (a.k.a. Death Tax) is fully repealed this year, but it’s coming back in full force in 2011, meaning a 55 percent top estate tax rate unless Congress does something about it. Let’s make sure they do.

Also, remember the contractor withholding issue? This provision would mean that, starting in 2012, virtually all federal, state and local government entities would be required to withhold 3 percent of all payments to contractors until compliance with all tax laws is confirmed. Unless Congress removes it from the tax code, this unnecessary and shortsighted provision will hurt our industry at the worst possible time.

Despite that, you may not be hearing a lot about the Card Check bill. The issue is still alive and well in Washington. Passage of this bill would circumvent the democratic process for workplace organizing decisions by allowing a majority of check cards to force union affiliation in lieu of the traditional secret ballot process. Even worse, passage of card check legislation would impose binding government arbitration if a contract is not agreed to within 90 days.

In addition to all this, Congress needs to hear how investment in water and wastewater infrastructure addresses America’s deteriorating environmental infrastructure, improves public health and creates good-paying jobs. We need to push the Senate to pass both an SRF authorization bill and jobs legislation, which would eliminate the current state volume cap on private activity bonds for water and wastewater infrastructure projects.

Issues like these don’t just work themselves out. There are very vocal organizations on the other side of these issues, and they’re making a lot of noise right now. Want to make a difference? Be there on May 17th.

See you in Washington, D.C.,

     Dan East
     NUCA Chairman of the Board