Don’t Get PLAyed
Prince William County!
Some Prince William politicians are playing games with your money. They’re pushing costly Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) on county construction projects. These unnecessary requirements may earn them more campaign contributions, but they’ll cost you millions more and result in fewer county projects. Fewer schools, fewer road repairs, and less affordable housing to name a few.
Take a Stand Against Political Favoritism and Cronyism in Prince William County! Email your Supervisor here.
WHAT TO KNOW
The Prince William County School Board Voted to Mandate a PLA on the County’s Next High School with No Public Input.
With virtually no public notice or input, the Prince William County School Board quietly approved a “pilot” Project Labor Agreement (PLA) for the construction of the county’s 14th high school. The April 2, 2025, meeting revealed just how little some board members seem to understand about the real implications of PLAs and how willing they are to gamble with taxpayer dollars. Several members even appeared cavalier about using this high-stakes construction project as an “experiment,” raising serious concerns about their commitment to fiscal responsibility and stewardship of public funds.
The Board of Supervisors Voted to Spend $300,000 on Expensive Consultants to “Study” PLAs. Even Though We Already Know These Political Mandates Are a Bad Deal for Taxpayers.
Prince William County supervisors recently voted to spend $300,000 of taxpayer money on consultants to evaluate whether the County should mandate Project Labor Agreements on public construction projects. But the evidence is already clear: PLAs reduce worker take-home pay and do not improve wages or benefits.
Make no mistake - this study is simply the first step toward imposing a costly mandate on future County projects. As a result, taxpayers are now footing the bill for consultants to justify a policy that independent analysis already shows will increase costs and reduce worker pay.
“A $300,000 PLA study is a waste of taxpayer money and serves no public benefit.”
— Patrick Dean, Associated Builders & Contractors of Virginia, InsideNova Op-Ed
What’s Behind the Push for PLAs in Prince William County?
It’s not complicated. Influential labor union bosses spend big money in Prince William’s local elections. The current Prince William Board of Supervisors has taken over $160,000 in campaign donations from union bosses that are pressuring them to mandate PLAs on Prince William projects, costing you more to live in the County.
$26,350
Deshundra Jefferson (D)
Chair
$26,350 from labor unions
5.4% of of all contributions
47% from out-of-state
$74,250
Kenny Boddye (D)
Occoquan District
$74,250 from labor unions
12.6% of of all contributions
80% from out-of-state
$28,350
Andrea Bailey (D)
Potomac District
$28,350 from labor unions
4.7% of of all contributions
52% from out-of-state
$19,100
Margaret Franklin (D)
Woodbridge District
$19,100 from labor unions
5.2% of of all contributions
68.5% from out-of-state
$14,000
Victor Angry (D)
Neabsco District
$14,000 from labor unions
4.3% of of all contributions
100% from out-of-state
$500
Yesli Vega (R)
Coles District
$500 from labor unions
0.2% of of all contributions
0% from out-of-state
$0
Tom Gordy (R)
Brentsville District
$0 from labor unions
0% of of all contributions
$0
George Stewart (D)
Gainesville District
$0 from labor unions
0% of of all contributions
What do Government-Mandate Project Labor Agreements Mean for Prince William County?
PLAs Increase Project Costs, Which Means Higher Taxes.
PLAs severely limit bid competition on taxpayer funded projects. Numerous studies have found that this artificially limited competition ads between 12 and 20 percent to the cost of public construction projects. These avoidable and unnecessary costs mean one thing - higher taxes!
PLAs Put Out-of-State Union Bosses First and Prince William Workers Last
PLAs put out-of-state union bosses in charge of who gets to work on Prince William construction projects. 95% of Virginian construction workers have chosen not to join a union. PLAs allow unions to discriminate against Virginia workers in favor of out-of-state workers with seniority in the union.
PLA Costs Crowd Out Other Important Infrastructure Projects
The added costs of PLAs place additional strain on public budgets, crowding out other important projects. This means you receive fewer public works. For example, the County might be able to build 4 new schools without a PLA, but only two schools with a PLA.
PLAs Send Prince William Tax Dollars Out-of-State
PLAs send Prince William tax dollars to out-of-state construction firms that have relationships with construction unions. What’s worse, local firms are excluded from participating on Prince William construction projects that are funded by their own tax dollars.
PLAs Increase the Risk of Delays and Cost Overruns
PLAs add delay-inducing complexity and bureaucracy to construction projects, further increasing the likelihood of cost overruns. PLAs exist only when politicians mandate them as payback for political support. They are not a normal part of the construction process and, as such, impede the ability of most contractors to efficiently and effectively deliver taxpayer-funded infrastructure.
PLAs Discriminate Against Minority - and Woman -Owned Firms
PLAs exclude nearly all small, minority-, and woman-owned construction firms. This is why the National Black Chamber of Commerce has been an outspoken critic of mandatory PLAs.