Miami Twp. trustee: State wage law ‘discriminatory,’ wasting millions

A Miami Twp. trustee is asking the state to pay for the costs of what he called an unfunded mandate that is “most discriminatory” and that he said wastes millions of dollars across Ohio.

Board of Trustees President John Morris said he plans on Wednesday to send all state legislators copies of a letter urging support of bills that give local jurisdictions choice in paying prevailing wages to contractors.

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“Millions of dollars every year are being wasted. You should stop this as it is your duty to uphold fiscal responsibility,” according to the letter.

“This unfunded mandate is also most discriminatory in nature, having been initially conceived specifically to stop African Americans from working and which continues to harm small minority and woman owned businesses today,” the letter by Morris states.

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The letter indicates Morris is asking the Ohio treasurer’s office to reimburse the township for a project it recently bid out for security upgrades and other renovations for its police department and administration building.

Trustees authorized the township to spend more than $500,000 on the project. Without the current prevailing wage law, the township could saved a significant amount, Morris said.

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