News for Local Government
AGC charges 17 local unions with unfair labor practices
AGC of Washington (AGCW) has filed an unfair labor-practice charge against 17 building and construction unions with the Region 19 National Labor Relations Board in Seattle, Washington.
Posted on: 01/02/2019
City of Tukwila issues bridge-restriction advisory
The City of Tukwila Department of Public Works is advising the motoring public that the weight restriction for the 42nd Avenue South bridge over the Duwamish River will be reduced for Single Hauling Vehicles (SHVs) with 6 and 7 axles.
Posted on: 11/14/2018
AGC protests Seattle’s head tax proposal
Telling the Seattle City Council and Mayor Jenny Durkan that hurting construction jobs is not the way to combat homelessness, AGC is strongly opposed to the city’s proposed $500 per employee “head tax” – a controversial measure that caused Amazon to pause its ongoing construction in Seattle.
Posted on: 05/08/2018
King County Passes Priority Hire Ordinance
On Monday, March 5, 2018, the King County Council passed the Priority Hire Ordinance with unanimous support. The ordinance paves the way for the County to negotiate with Labor a Master Community-Workforce Agreement which will direct unions to prioritize workers from designated disadvantaged zip codes for dispatch to covered projects.
Posted on: 03/08/2018
Update on Port of Seattle’s PLA-enforced priority-hire proposal
Citing problems already apparent in the priority hire ordinances passed by the City of Seattle, Sound Transit and under consideration by King County, AGC raised significant concerns about the Port of Seattle’s proposal.
Posted on: 10/23/2017
Acceptable worksites: new City of Seattle specification provisions now in effect
The City of Seattle’s City Purchasing & Contracting Services recently revised its General Special Provisions for City construction contracts to add new “Acceptable Worksite” language.
Posted on: 07/11/2017
No capital gains, B&O tax increase in new state budget
Just barely avoiding a government shutdown, the Legislature on June 30 passed the $44 billion 2017-2019 state operating budget.
Posted on: 07/11/2017
AGC’s Dave Kearby challenges for 15th District House seat
AGC’s own Dave Kearby is running for the State Legislature! Kearby announced his candidacy for State Representative from the 15th District last week.
Posted on: 05/23/2016
AGC supports Brightwater contractor in legal dispute with King County
AGC is supporting Brightwater tunnel contractors Vinci/Parsons RCI/Frontier Kemper JV (VPFK) in a legal dispute with King County. At issue is the long-standing principle that an “implied warranty” comes with an owner-issued plans and specifications, and how it allocates risk on Washington construction projects if following those plans and specifications does not produce the desired or intended result.
Posted on: 04/11/2016
Strengthening our legislative efforts
AGC of Washington has partnered with AGC of America to gauge the reach of our collective networks and enable us to effectively plan for future public-policy discussions.
Posted on: 04/04/2016
Sound Transit unveils its $50 billion plan
Last week, Sound Transit released its draft Sound Transit 3 (ST3) plan, kicking off a public comment period that will likely conclude with the $50 billion plan on the November ballot in the Sound Transit counties.
Posted on: 03/28/2016
Get to know your Legislators with AGC's help!
Rep. Vince Buys visited Tiger Construction in Ferndale recently to observe the activities and complexities of a bid day. Tiger president Scott Isenhart invited Rep. Buys to provide greater context to the policy decisions the three-term legislator makes as a member of the House Capital Budget Comm...
Posted on: 05/27/2015
AGC of America re-launches voter-information resource
The construction industry and the millions of workers it employs have much at stake in upcoming elections across the country. At a time when the industry is rebounding from the longest and deepest slump of any sector it is especially important to elect leaders willing to work for common-sense sol...
Posted on: 09/15/2014
Port of Seattle bid desk moving
Effective October 1 2014 the Port of Seattle bid desk will move from its Alaskan Way waterfront location in Seattle to the CPO Construction Services office at 2529 S.194th Street Seattle WA 98188 (south of the airport).
The Port has decided to relocate the bid desk to improve the efficiency of m...
Posted on: 09/15/2014
Opposition to Tacoma's Paid Sick-Leave Effort
AGC and other stakeholders in the business community continue to fight a harmful paid sick-leave proposal that the labor community is pushing in the City of Tacoma. Recently Tacomas News Tribune wrote an editorial in opposition to the proposal. Read it here.
Posted on: 10/23/2013
Seattle Seeks Candidates for Construction-Codes Advisory Board
From City of Seattle press release:
Mayor Mike McGinn invites applicants to fill three openings on the Construction-Codes Advisory Board. These new members will fill positions representing three different professions:
Organized labor
General contractors and
Apartment-building owners or oper...
Posted on: 09/25/2013
AGC Efforts with Tacoma's HUB Program
AGC members have experienced problems with the City’s Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Program over the years. As a result AGC members and staff have turned-up the temperature on our oversight of the program and are meeting with the City’s new HUB Manager.
Some notes from these meetings...
Posted on: 01/23/2013
AGC Working with City of Tacoma
AGC members and staff have been meeting with the City of Tacoma in an effort to change their Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUB) Program. In addition the AGC was appointed to the City’s Blue Ribbon Panel on Permitting Reform. For more information on the HUB Program click HUB. To learn ...
Posted on: 12/12/2012
AGC Hosts New Legislators for Coffee and Issues
AGC’s Legislative Office hosted eight new legislators at the 2011 AGC Freshman Legislators Breakfast on Jan. 18. All of the policymakers that attended were recently elected to their first term in the State Legislature. They were: Reps. Katarina Asay Vincent Buys Cathy Dahlquist Paul Harris Ann...
Posted on: 02/01/2011
Gov. Gregoire Submits Plan to Balance Budget, Raise Taxes
Last week Gov. Gregoire unveiled her plan to restore certain state expenditures and raise the revenue to pay for them. This spending plan would leave a nearly $3 billion deficit. She hopes to address the gap with cuts in other areas rainy day and federal funds and a list of new or increased taxes...
Posted on: 02/23/2010
AGC to Rep. Conway: The Industry is Burning, Quit Fiddling
Citing new data showing the depression-like unemployment conditions for the commercial construction industry AGC has called on Rep. Steve Conway (D-Tacoma) Chairman of the House Commerce and Labor Committee to hold hearings on workers’ compensation reform.
“Now is the time to consider all opport...
Posted on: 01/26/2010
Primary Election Endorsements by BUILD PAC
The state’s primary election is just weeks away and your political action committee BUILD announces its slate of endorsed candidates.
In addition to all of the local government races (mayor county executive city and county council and ports) this year there are three legislative races that have ...
Posted on: 08/04/2009
Port of Seattle to Restart Construction on Sea-Tac Rental Car Facility
Citing recent signs of hope in the global economy Port of Seattle Commission voted to restart construction on the new rental car facility to serve Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The June 30 vote followed the recent sale of revenue bonds to finance the facility scheduled to open in 2012. C...
Posted on: 07/06/2009
AGC's Southern District Hosts Pierce County Executive McCarthy
New Pierce County Executive Pat McCarthy addressed a capacity crowd at the AGC Southern District monthly meeting in March. McCarthy addressed many issues including transportation funding permitting efficiency Fort Lewis construction efforts local economic stimulus and Ranked-Choice Voting. In p...