For better roads, repeal prevailing wage laws

Highways will be packed this Labor Day weekend as families visit lake houses and relatives, trying to make the most of the dwindling summer. Along the way, many drivers will gripe about the condition of their state’s roads: Too bumpy, not enough lanes, etc. Few will mention a simple solution for better infrastructure: Repeal prevailing wage laws.

In 32 states, prevailing wage laws have artificially pumped up the cost of state construction projects. The laws require that publicly-funded projects pay wages equal to an arbitrary standard, to those of a majority of workers in an area or to local rates based on collective bargaining, depending on the state.