Deal Is Struck To Cut Public Building Costs

ALBANY — Governor Spitzer and legislative leaders agreed yesterday to reform a pro-union, anti-corruption mandate that officials have long blamed for driving up publicly paid construction costs.

The reform of the 1921 Wicks Law has been an elusive goal in Albany for years, but the agreement would exempt more than half of public projects from the mandate.

Under Wicks, municipalities and school districts must separately bid most construction projects. That means they must draw up specifications, solicit bidders and award separate contracts for plumbing, heating, electrical and other elements of public construction. The law now applies to publicly financed projects that total more than $50,000.

Under the new deal, the law won't be required for public projects totaling less than $3 million in New York City, won't apply to projects worth less than $1.5 million in city suburbs, and won't apply to upstate projects worth less than $500,000.