Virginians for Fairness Launches "Don't Get PLAyed Alexandria!" Digital Media Campaign
Alexandria, VA - Today, the Virginia Coalition for Fair Contracting & Employee Protection ("Virginians for Fairness") launched "Don't Get PLAyed Alexandria," a multi-platform digital advertising campaign aimed at informing Alexandria residents about recent actions by local officials to force costly Project Labor Agreements (“PLAs”) on city construction projects. The campaign is launching across all major digital platforms used by Alexandria residents.
“Don’t Get PLAyed Alexandria!” commercial running on all major digital platforms.
In September 2025, Alexandria officials announced the completion of the city’s first PLA on a taxpayer supported Project – the City Hall and Market Square Renovation Project – to much fanfare. A Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”) filed by Virginians for Fairness, however, revealed that officials deliberately hid information from the public showing that the PLA would increase the project’s cost by nearly $7 million. Alexandria City officials are now moving to expand these costly mandates to up to five additional major construction projects in Alexandria's $2.01 billion Capital Improvement Program.
What’s behind the push for PLAs in Alexandria?
The campaign will highlight the pay-for-PLA politics taking place in the City of Alexandria and how residents are being fleeced by local officials.
According to the non-partisan RAND Center for Housing and Homelessness, PLAs increase project costs by approximately 21%. In the area of affordable housing, RAND found that, as rule of thumb, government-mandated PLAs incur an added cost equal to 1 of every 5 affordable units that could be produced without a PLA.
“A simple rule of thumb is that the use of a PLA incurs a cost equal to 1 of every 5 affordable housing units that could be produced through funding programs without a PLA”
Why are Alexandria officials forcing local taxpayers to pay more for local infrastructure and get less in return for the tax dollars? The answer may have to do with pay-to-play politics. Mayor Alyia Gaskins and members of the Alexandria City Council have taken over $300,000 in campaign donations from union bosses who are pushing them to mandate PLAs on city projects.
What are they hiding?
Alexandria officials deliberately withheld information showing that the PLA on the City Hall and Market Square Renovation Project would cost taxpayers millions more in unnecessary costs.
Alexandria residents deserve full transparency on how their tax dollars are being spent and why local officials are adding unnecessary expense to the public projects. Residents can learn more and take action at: https://virginians4fairness.org/alexandria
About Virginians for Fairness
The Virginia Coalition for Fair Contracting & Employee Protection (“Virginians for Fairness”) is a 501(c)(4) organization that advocates for open and competitive public procurement across the Commonwealth. Our coalition represents more than 1,000 Virginia construction firms across multiple industry sectors that oppose government-mandated Project Labor Agreements (“PLAs”) because they restrict competition and increase costs to taxpayers.