Don’t take shortcuts with safety. Jennifer Boysko Chair of Run Everywhere.

David,

The next time you read about safety concerns derailing a billion-dollar infrastructure project like the Silver Line, thank a Republican.

Hundreds of precast concrete slabs for new Silver Line stations have major defects. According to a recently unsealed whistleblower lawsuit, the manufacturer knew about the flaws and may have falsified data to cover them up.

This is what happens when you award millions of dollars to contractors solely because they're the “low bidder” — which is how the contractors on Silver Line Phase 2 were selected. Instead, by using Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) or Best Value Contracting, the Commonwealth can develop a trained and skilled Virginia workforce that doesn’t cut corners.

Also thanks to that lack of PLAs, Phase II of the Silver Line -- one of the country’s largest infrastructure projects -- was 13 months behind schedule when the defects came to light.

This costly double boondoggle was completely avoidable. But Virginia’s Republican leadership prefers shady backroom deals to transparent public agreements.

Virginia can’t afford business as usual.

Thanks as always for your support,

Jennifer Boysko
Finance Chair, Virginia Democratic House Caucus
Chair of Run Everywhere