Ohio agency director softens on prevailing wage

COLUMBUS (AP) — In videotaped comments, a state agency director appears to back off new standards Gov. Ted Strickland’s administration has been pushing that would require prevailing union wages to be paid on more state construction projects.

Commerce Director Kimberly Zurz told the Ohio Economic Development Association on Oct. 15 that only the portion of a construction project that receives state money would be subject to prevailing wage. Last year, Strickland announced that he was “clarifying” guidelines to require that prevailing wage be paid on all portions of a project that received any state money.

Business leaders and Republican lawmakers say the changes would drive up construction costs.

A message seeking comment was left with a Department of Commerce spokesman.