Rebuttal to Argument for Measure W

Shouldn’t you have the right to work where you pay taxes?

The Construction Craft Professional Demand in California is 383,554 through August 2021.  Byf.org.  All available workers and apprentices will be needed to ensure a successful Measure W.

Most California Community College Districts do not force their construction contractors to sign union agreements. But the West Valley-Mission Community College District will require contractors to sign a “Project Labor Agreement” (PLA) with unions to work on a majority of Measure W projects.

For years, West Valley-Mission operated with a construction bidding policy that ensured a fair playing field regardless of labor affiliation and delivered quality workmanship our community could count on.

Unfortunately, that ended in 2018 when the Board of Trustees voted to prevent a majority of local workers including West Valley-Mission graduates and veterans from building their community.

Now, your friends, your neighbors and young aspiring construction professionals can’t get a fair shot at the work here in their backyard to help provide for their families.  Instead, out of town workers are working here and taking your tax dollars back to their communities.

Studies show this could cost taxpayers 15-20% more.  That’s $104.7M.

As a result, only four buildings can be built for the price of five.

Please do not endorse this type of discrimination with your vote.  Send the bond back to the drawing board and tell these politicians to fix it so all workers can build their community.

Mark W.A. Hinkle
President, Silicon Valley Taxpayers Association

Michele Dowling-Daugherty
President/CEO ABC Norcal

Jennifer Imhoff
Chair, Libertarian Party of Santa Clara County