Letters

Search Results

Close Previous Now showing: of Next

Previous Next Close

Discussion

Welcome to our online comments feature. We welcome your thoughts and your opinions, including unpopular ones. We ask only that you keep the conversation civil and clean. We reserve the right to remove comments that are obscene, racist or abusive and statements that are false or unverifiable as well as posts that are attacking other users. Repeat offenders will be blocked. You may flag objectionable comments for review by a moderator.

comments powered by Disqus

March 10, 2010

FLASHPOINT: ‘Responsible Bidder Ordinance’ provides taxpayers best value

Anonymous Special to the Tribune-Star The Tribune Star Wed Mar 10, 2010, 11:00 PM EST

TERRE HAUTE — It is a disservice to the local taxpayers and an unnecessary fear tactic that the Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce misrepresented the intent and facts surrounding the proposed Responsible Bidder Ordinance (RBO) as written in the Opinion section of the Tribune-Star on March 10.

As the individual petitioner and not any particular organization as referenced for the RBO, I thank the Chamber for publicly recognizing the “wonderful training” offered through the registered Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training programs through the Department of Labor (DOL). These programs are available to any organization without regard to labor affiliation as long as they can fulfill and regularly meet minimum classroom and on-the-job training standards established by the recognized industry “referee”, the DOL.

Most programs mandate five years of training consisting of over 800 hours of classroom education and 8,000 hours of on-the-job training under the supervision of an experienced and highly skilled tradesperson. This provides local communities with an available pool of skilled and properly trained workers who have the ability to construct our local buildings and schools safely and with quality.

The RBO will actually increase competition available from qualified and responsible contractors who seek to perform work with taxpayer-funded public sector jobs. The RBO merely recognizes the importance of ensuring only the best and most qualified contractors will perform work for the taxpayers of Terre Haute. As outlined under the ordinance, contractors will have to meet minimum requirements and prove they are complying with existing and established legal obligations. Any responsible contractor could easily meet these requirements if they are currently playing by the rules. The ones who have not been following all of the laws or minimum requirements will be the ones scrambling to ensure they are indeed responsible.

The RBO declares up front to all contractors interested in bidding Terre Haute public works projects that the city is serious about ensuring all bids are submitted using a level playing field and utilizes a transparent process in the bidding jobs. During these tough economic times, some unscrupulous contractors may be inclined to take advantage of understaffed state agencies or lax enforcement of existing laws and skirt their legal obligations. We want to ensure everyone is paying their fair share of local income taxes, that all laws are being followed, and that only the contractors who are doing the right thing are awarded a contract to perform taxpayer-funded work.

Why reward contractors who are not responsible? If contractors are allowed to intentionally underbid qualified and responsible bidders, responsible contractors will no longer be able to stay competitive or even stay in business. So in fact, with state enforcement of existing laws lax, the existing process is actually eliminating the ability of qualified and responsible contractors from securing work as unscrupulous contractors under bid their competitors. The RBO gives the city representatives more control and oversight to ensure taxpayers are receiving the best value for their money.

Once all of the documents are submitted and the minimum requirements are verified, a review of the bid dollar amount will then be reviewed. There is nothing in the RBO that requires “closely held financial records” to be disclosed publicly.

There are over 50 RBOs in place across the region and with reference to Decatur repealing their RBO one fact was left out. The threshold in which the RBO “kicked-in” was set at $20,000 for project costs. Yes, that dollar amount would limit the available number of contractors. However, that could have easily been remedied by raising the limit to $150,000, which is the project cost required for the RBO to take effect in Terre Haute.

— Tom Szymanski

Business representative

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 725

Text Only | Photo Reprints

Letters

• READERS' FORUM: Feb. 14, 2012

  • Free us from 'Republicanism'

  • Eagles take pride in group’s work

  • Be careful what you strive for

   

  February 14, 2012  

• READERS' FORUM: Feb. 12, 2012

  • White’s opponent entitled to office

  • Positive moves for healthy foods

  • Thanks from the Super Bowl XLVI Host Committee

  • Doctor’s diet plan helps her arthritis

  • Great support for fundraiser

  • A few thoughts moving forward

  February 12, 2012  

• READER'S FORUM: Feb. 11, 2012

  • Controlling crows everyone’s job

  • Strong plan needed to fight Alzheimer’s

  February 11, 2012  

• READERS' FORUM: Feb. 10, 2012

  • How about a parade for war veterans?
  
  • Rubber reptiles will chase off crows
   

  February 10, 2012  

• READERS' FORUM: Feb. 9, 2012

  • Award proves art teacher’s special

  • Technicality hits cancer patient

  February 9, 2012  

• READERS' FORUM: Feb. 8, 2012

  • City engineer sets high standard

  • More than paper to protect rights

  February 8, 2012  

• Readers' Forum: Feb. 7, 2012

  • Kodak moment for America?

  • Let’s not bring back serfdom

  • IU-Purdue game a nice diversion

  February 7, 2012  

• READERS FORUM: Feb. 5, 2012

  • Why does Howey keep attacking Mourdock?

  • Thanks for the commitment

  • Accurate view of pipeline issue

  • Oil pipeline is a pipe dream

  • Not all workers belong to unions

  • Unions protect working people

  • Terre Haute Zoning issue unites neighbors

  February 5, 2012  

• READERS' FORUM: Feb. 4, 2012

  • Defending Bain, attacking Harrop, praising Romney

  • Break a CFL? No reason to panic

  • GOP’s timing not so super

  February 4, 2012  

• READERS' FORUM: Feb. 3, 2012

  • Keep pressure on the Pentagon

  • Supportive words for Jim Mann
   

  February 3, 2012  

• READERS' FORUM: Feb. 2, 2012

  • There are reasons unions are needed

  • Why so hard to get a tow here?

  February 2, 2012  

• READERS' FORUM: Feb. 1, 2012

  • Better options for Deming Park area

  • Tuskegee Airmen had local member

  February 1, 2012  

• READERS' FORUM: Jan. 31, 2012

  • Science from the heavens
  • Unions exist to aid the worker
   

  January 31, 2012  

• READERS' FORUM: Jan. 30, 2012

  • Right-to-work bill hurts state’s workers

  January 30, 2012  

• READERS' FORUM: Jan. 29, 2012

  • Obama wrong on recess appointments

  • Thanks for honoring ‘Soup’ at his passing

  • Mercury more danger than coal emission?

  • Beware employers who cut corners

  • All beliefs need to be respected

  • People’s decency becomes evident

  January 29, 2012  

• READERS' FORUM: Jan. 28, 2012

  • Don’t muzzle North’s ‘Woelf Pack’

  • The true legacy of coach Paterno

  • Bullet holes suggest dangerous gun use

  • Union coercion in right-to-work issue

  January 28, 2012  

• READERS' FORUM: Jan. 27, 2012

  • Labor bill would divide unions
  
  • GOP sure to retain Statehouse control
  
  • Internet lies about liberalism and more
  
  • National debt backs job growth numbers
  
   

  January 27, 2012  

• READERS' FORUM: Jan. 26, 2012

  • Right-to-work law wrong for workers

  • Put labor law on the ballot

  January 26, 2012  

• READERS' FORUM: Jan. 24, 2012

  • Super Bowl raises parking, gas prices
  
  • Obama should OK energy job issue
  
   

  January 24, 2012  

• READERS' FORUM: Jan. 23, 2012

  • Keystone pipeline is needed now

  • Great seasons for South Vigo sports

  January 23, 2012  

• READERS' FORUM: Jan. 22, 2012

  • Distorted view of mine’s practices

  • Planning is necessary to ensure free market

  • Bring back one-class tourney

  • Wonderful book for a great cause

  • Liberals no longer hold moral ground

  • Another great holiday tourney

  • A few things to think about

  January 22, 2012  

• READERS' FORUM: Jan. 21, 2012

  • Protect our kids from mercury

  • Older drivers have safety opportunity

  January 21, 2012  

• READERS' FORUM: Jan. 20, 2012

  • Workers should pay fair share
   

  January 20, 2012  

• READERS' FORUM: Jan. 19, 2012

  • Two sides to labor issue

  • Learn more about right-to-work law

  January 19, 2012  

• READERS’ FORUM: Jan. 18, 2012

  • Facts show labor bill is bad idea

  • Rural road needs more attention

  January 18, 2012  

• READERS' FORUM: Jan. 17, 2012

  • Embracing those liberal definitions
  
  • People responded to help after mishap
   

  January 17, 2012  

• READERS' FORUM: Jan. 15, 2012

  • Breaking unions and middle class

  • Union dues have favorable results

  • Labor law hasn’t hurt fed workers

  • Labor bill mean and destructive

  • Indiana’s friendly business confines

  • Ideal spot for new housing

  • Americans need some motivation

  January 15, 2012  

• READERS' FORUM: Jan. 14, 2011

  • Solutions lie in compromise

  January 14, 2012  

• READERS' FORUM: Jan. 13, 2012

  • Great stories to warm your heart
   

  January 13, 2012  

• READERS' FORUM: Jan. 12, 2012

  Interference? No.
  Opportunity? Yes

  January 12, 2012  

• More Letters Headlines

© 2012 Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc. · CNHI Classified Advertising Network · CNHI News Service
Associated Press content © 2012. All rights reserved. AP content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Our site is powered by Zope. Some parts of our site may require you to download the Flash Player Plugin.
Privacy Policy | AP News Registry privacy policy
Terms and Conditions
Advertiser Index

Events by eviesays.com

News From Terre Haute, Indiana 222 S 7th St Terre Haute, IN 47807