NEW YORK—A coalition of trade associations representing the area’s heavy construction industry announced Wednesday the beginning of a “legal doomsday clock.”
By April 11, the contractors will file a class action law suit against the State of New York to confront Governor David Paterson’s decision to terminate payments for hundreds of state construction projects.
“Today’s gathering is an unprecedented upstate / downstate industry response to an unprecedented crisis,” said President of the Construction Industry Council Ross Pepe, spokesperson for the coalition, in a press release.
“It has brought a sense of solidarity to an industry that prides itself on independence. We recognize that our legal victory will be a pyrrhic one because, while it will make whole those construction companies economically harmed by this illegal pay freeze, it will not restart crucial work on our state’s infrastructure.”
The law suit will seek economic damages forced onto those who are tasked to rebuild the region’s infrastructure.
“We all recognize the enormity of the threat to the heavy construction industry and that this pay freeze could dismantle many proud successful companies,” said Pepe. “Some may try to characterize the governor’s actions as an act of political courage. It’s not. It’s a maneuver in an Albany chess game where there is an effort to find political gain at the expense of the public works the taxpayer has paid for.”
“In truth, it is the state taxpayer that should be part of this class action suit because they own the roads, bridges, and tunnels that are being allowed to deteriorate by this arbitrary and we believe illegal action.”
Among the projects at risk is the $407 million repair job currently underway on the frail Alexander Hamilton Bridge that handles I-95 traffic over the Harlem River.
Halmar International executive Chris Larsen has stated he will have little choice but to shut down the project as he and his partners can’t float the $10 million monthly expense of repairing the bridge.
By April 11, the contractors will file a class action law suit against the State of New York to confront Governor David Paterson’s decision to terminate payments for hundreds of state construction projects.
“Today’s gathering is an unprecedented upstate / downstate industry response to an unprecedented crisis,” said President of the Construction Industry Council Ross Pepe, spokesperson for the coalition, in a press release.
“It has brought a sense of solidarity to an industry that prides itself on independence. We recognize that our legal victory will be a pyrrhic one because, while it will make whole those construction companies economically harmed by this illegal pay freeze, it will not restart crucial work on our state’s infrastructure.”
The law suit will seek economic damages forced onto those who are tasked to rebuild the region’s infrastructure.
“We all recognize the enormity of the threat to the heavy construction industry and that this pay freeze could dismantle many proud successful companies,” said Pepe. “Some may try to characterize the governor’s actions as an act of political courage. It’s not. It’s a maneuver in an Albany chess game where there is an effort to find political gain at the expense of the public works the taxpayer has paid for.”
“In truth, it is the state taxpayer that should be part of this class action suit because they own the roads, bridges, and tunnels that are being allowed to deteriorate by this arbitrary and we believe illegal action.”
Among the projects at risk is the $407 million repair job currently underway on the frail Alexander Hamilton Bridge that handles I-95 traffic over the Harlem River.
Halmar International executive Chris Larsen has stated he will have little choice but to shut down the project as he and his partners can’t float the $10 million monthly expense of repairing the bridge.
