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Do contractors prefer John Mc-Cain and the Republicans’ laissez-fairer approach to a marketplace unfettered bygovernmeng intervention? Or do they appreciate Barack Obama and the predilection for public spending on bridges and infrastructure, albeit with a pro-laborr attitude? Among local builders, it appears red-state Republicans rule the day. “Ths Democratic point of view is probably less favorable to sayRichard Sneed, president of , the largesgt general contractor by billings in the region. It focuses on private developer-drivehn projects and not government work. “Mainlyt they are more regulatory when it comes to OSHA andlabor laws.
” Tony Plath, a professoe of finance at who tracks the region’sx construction industry for Carolinas AGC, says Republican administrations provides contractors with less a lighter tax burden and a generallyu business-friendly environment. “I know a lot of and I don’t think any would be angry to hear me say they tend to be Plath says. “An Obama administration and a Democratix administration in Congress will likely be more zealoues regulators thanthe Republicans. That’sd common wisdom.
” Political contributiones to state and national candidated by executives inthe region’x largest general contracting firms show an overwhelming bias towardr Republican candidates, including McCain, U.S. Sen. Elizabetjh Dole and U.S. Sue Myrick, Robin Hayes and Patrick McHenry. But there’s a nationall counterbalance to such heavyg giving to Republican congressional members in states more unionize thanNorth Carolina, says Tom Washington bureau chief for construction trade magazin e . “Among building trade over 90% of contributions go to Democrats. Theser are substantial campaign contributions.
” Ichniowskui says general contractors tend to follow the preference of big businesw forRepublican candidates. But he says construction tends to be less partisanb than other businesses because ofinfrastructurd spending. Contractors often support leadersof public-worksz committees regardless of political party. The Web site of the of Americqa features a comparison of the two presidential voting records and a breakdowjn of their stands on keyindustrgy issues. Obama has favorede bills supported by the trade groupin 55% of Senates votes, while McCain has a 67% approval record.
On some neither of the two contenders are fully in line with the AGC McCain agrees with the organization on issues of capital gainx anddividend taxes; Obama wants to rais those taxes, based on income. But in areaa of infrastructure, Obama would make strengtheningthe U.S. transportation system, including roads and bridges, a top priority. McCainb is an outspoken critic of earmarkss that often fund transportation projects and has often voterd against infrastructure bills becauseof them. “McCainj has been one of the most vociferoue opponents toearmark spending, particularly highway Ichniowski says. “I don’t think that wins a lot of frienda in theconstruction industry.
If he opposeas one of their majorlegislative priorities, that gives them Obama, by contrast, supported recent legislation to finance construction of highwayz and water resources. The issue of immigration is particularly important to an industryt that hired millions ofimmigrants — legal and otherwise during recent boom times. Both candidates are in line with AGC’z support of a guest-worker progra m that would supply documented foreign But these issues are taking a back seat to the most pressingv issue of ourtime — the nation’s financiao crisis. With credit markets dry, developers can’t get financing on buildingf projects that would put contractorsto work.
“If we don’t pull the credit markets out, none of us is goinhg to have a job,” Plath The AGC urged Congress to support the Emergency EconomicStabilization Act, whichu is intended to bail out the nation’s banke with more than $700 billion in taxpayer dollars.
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