Rep. Diehl, Rep. Osborn: Kotek’s costly mandate contradiction

By State Represantives Virgel Osbrone and Ed Diehl,

SALEM, OR – This morning, Willamette Week reported on an Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) study that contradicts the Governor’s claims that her order on Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) would “lower costs” and “[ensure] that our projects are adequately resourced.” ODOT’s study, which examined over 1,000 PLAs around the country came to several conclusions: PLAs reduce the number of bidders for projects, construction costs increase, and rural areas suffer.

Representative Osborne (R-Roseburg) and Representative Diehl (R-Stayton) made the following statements:

“The Governor’s own agency confirmed what we had already presumed: her order will increase costs on an agency that is already struggling,” said Rep. Osborne. “And when these costs hit them, they will come to the Legislature and ask for more funding.”

“Once again,” Rep. Osborne continued “the Governor’s decision-making benefits her urban supporters and harms rural Oregonians. Rural counties that have already experienced PLAs set the tone for the future to come. It is my hope that Governor Kotek revokes her order, but I fear my plea will fall on deaf ears.”

“ODOT just reinforced what we already knew,” said Rep. Diehl, “That the Governor’s executive order hurts small businesses, especially startup businesses and puts them at a distinct disadvantage when bidding construction work.”