Yesterday, Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski announced plans to introduce prevailing wage and local hiring legislation.

The legislation would ensure that construction companies awarded County contracts for capital projects $300,000 and greater receive a standard rate of pay set by the State of Maryland’s annual wage determination surveys of construction company employers. Additionally, at least 51 percent of all new jobs required to complete these projects would need to be filled by Baltimore County residents.

From the press release:

“The men and women who build our roads, our schools and all the public infrastructure supporting our quality of life deserve the ability to earn a fair, living wage,” said Olszewski. “This legislation creates a level playing field for workers, improves workplace safety and enhances project quality—all while ensuring we put Baltimore County’s residents to work as we continue the road to economic recovery.”

According to a March 2020 analysis by Pinnacle Economics, a prevailing wage policy would result in increased hiring of Baltimore County residents, generating millions in economic impacts to the local economy. For example, the County would experience a net gain of 232 jobs, $35.1 million in additional income for workers, and receive $6 million in additional state and local tax revenue, if applied to the County’s FY2020 to 2025 capital budget.

If approved by the County Council, the legislation would see Baltimore County join Prince George’s County, Montgomery County, and Charles County in implementing a prevailing wage structure.

For more information, view the press release.