Mark O’Brien brings up an interesting point on his blog:
“What happens when Mobile, Milton and Gulf Breeze also decide to keep their dollars in their communities? Better to get the lowest and best bid for the job — all citizens here are helping to pay that bill.”
A couple flaws in this reasoning. The local painter contractor for the Saenger was the low bidder for the sub-contract work. His workers are $10/hour cheaper than the Michigan contractor’s. There is no proof that local sub-contractors and workers are more expensive than out-of-towners.
The City lets the general contractor do whatever they want with the sub-contractors. There is no supervision. Make the general contractor prove the out-of-town subs are cheaper and that the general labor is cheaper.
Also we don’t know what happens if “Mobile, Milton and Gulf Breeze also decide to keep their dollars in their communities” —except their tax dollars would go to help their communities. I have no problem with that.
People are hurting in this community. People that are fully capable of doing work on the county and city projects are being laid off.
Why is our government so reluctant to help its own citizens work? I wish they were as aggressive in pushing the contractors to use locals as government leaders are in protecting city and county jobs.