The House Corrections and Institutions Committee on Wednesday unanimously approved a two-year, $158.66 million capital expenditure bill.
“This is an economic development bill,” said Rep. Alice Emmons, D-Springfield, chair of the committee. “We put money right back into the pockets of Vermonters, be it in workers, small contractors, large contractors — these are construction projects that really go back to our communities.”
The bill heads to the House Appropriations Committee next week.
In the first year, $85.36 million will be appropriated for state infrastructure projects. The Legislature will take up the balance, $73.24 million, next year.
The bill, H.492, represents a slight decrease over the previous two-year package of $159.9 million.
The Waterbury State Office Complex would receive $19.1 million, under the proposal.
A replacement for a state laboratory lost in Tropical Storm Irene will be built in Randolph for the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets and the Agency of Natural Resources with $2.5 million in planning and permitting costs and nearly $17 million for site construction.
Help for the General Fund
Lawmakers have shifted more expenditures from the General Fund to capital expenditures this year to balance the state’s operating budget.
Rep. Cynthia Browning, D-Arlington, a member of the House Corrections and Institutions Committee, on Wednesday said the following are among the costs that were moved to the General Fund:
• $1.7 million in fee for space expenses for employees who will be going back to the new Waterbury complex;
• $2 million for the Vermont Housing Conservation Board (primarily for water quality improvement);
• $929,000 in security costs for the Springfield prison project.
The capital bill also includes $5.6 million in funding for the Vermont Housing Conservation Board, and $22.9 million for two information technology projects, with a Legislative oversight provision attached.
Prevailing wage provision
A separate proposal to adopt a prevailing wage for state-funded construction projects was passed 6-5, with Emmons voting in support.
Emmons said it is important for the state to bring up the prevailing wage in order to stay in synch with the federal Davis-Bacon Act, as recommended in Gov. Peter Shumlin’s budget, she said.
The cost is estimated to be between $1.8 million and $4.6 million, according to the governor’s office.
“They say that this would take away approximately $2 million to $4 million of project money,” said Dennis LaBounty, political director for the Vermont State Labor Council, AFL-CIO. “I would respond that these are Vermonters doing most of the jobs and they will take that money and put it back into the economy.”
