By James Briggs A bill targeting the state’s prevailing wage law could begin circulating within weeks. The legislation not only would seek to roll back the most recent changes made under the previous Democratic-controlled Legislature, but also would soften the ...

Tagged with: ABC Construction Business Group Mary Williams Mielke prevailing wage Robb Kahl

By James Briggs Gov. Scott Walker‘s rollback of an apprenticeship requirement for certain state projects removed an unnecessary burden from companies struggling to put people to work, according to several construction representatives. Walker has rescinded Executive Order 108, a directive ...

Tagged with: AGC apprenticeship Associated General Contractors Boullion Doyle International Union of Painters and Allied Trades Mielke Scott Walker unions

By James Briggs As large-scale protesting runs into a second week, the state Capitol remains consumed with Gov. Scott Walker’s budget repair bill. That means other issues — some of them time-sensitive — are stuck on the back burner. “There’s ...

Tagged with: ABC AGC Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin Associated General Contractors Boullion collective bargaining Mielke Miron Construction prevailing wage Scott Walker Traas unions Wisconsin Transportation Builders Association WTBA

By James Briggs Gov. Scott Walker on Tuesday released drafts of five bills meant to create jobs. The legislation won’t directly help contractors, but industry lobbyists said any pro-business legislation would be a productive first step. “There’s good stuff in ...

Tagged with: ABC AGC Boullion economic development Kleefisch legislation lobbyists Mielke reform Scott Walker tax credit

By Marie Rohde

staff writer

Last week, industry representatives offered advice to Gov. Scott Walker on regulations that need to be ditched as he considers all that are enforced by the soon-to-be-abandoned Department of Commerce.

Tagged with: ABC Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin blog Hot Topics Mielke Rohde

By Marie Rohde A Milwaukee law favoring city-based contractors is among the targets of state and national construction associations trying to ban local preference ordinances. “If the idea catches on and spreads, you’ll have islands where only a few contractors ...

Tagged with: ABC Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin local preference Mielke Milwaukee MJ Construction ordinance Rawson Contractors Wisconsin Underground Contractors Association WUCA Zielinski

By Marie Rohde Construction industry leaders want Gov.-elect Scott Walker to trim the regulatory fat from the state Department of Commerce while remaking the agency into a partly private board. “This is the perfect time to look at all of ...

Tagged with: ABC AGC Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin Associated General Contractors of Wisconsin Boullion Department of Commerce Deschane Mielke Revenue Department Scott Walker WBA Wisconsin Builders Association Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. Wisconsin State Employees Union WSEU

By Marie Rohde “Walk, don’t run” was the advice community leaders gave the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District in spending more than $151 million to prevent sewage from backing up into basements. The district wants to spend the money repairing leaky ...

Tagged with: Department of Neighborhood Services Greenfield Grisa Kevin Shafer Lena Taylor Mielke Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District MMSD sewage

By James Briggs In the wake of Tuesday’s midterm election, the 2011 state legislative agenda has become a little clearer — and in many cases, more promising than the past two years — for construction lobbyists. Republicans gained majorities in ...

Tagged with: 1000 Friends of Wisconsin ABC Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin Inc. Hiniker Mielke Reihl Scott Walker Traas Wisconsin State Council of Carpenters Wisconsin Transportation Builders Association WTBA

By James Briggs The construction industry will have financed much of the takeover if Republicans gain power in the Wisconsin Legislature and governor’s office in January. Special interest groups with ties to construction have contributed more than $70,000 — only ...

Tagged with: AGC Associated General Contractors Barrett Boullion Hammel Mielke Walker WBA Wisconsin Builders Association Zipperer