“I am pleased that Governor Spitzer, Speaker Silver and Majority Leader Bruno have agreed to reform the Wicks law. These important and long overdue changes to this antiquated law will make City construction faster, cheaper, and more efficient. The agreement announced today will allow over 70% of City projects to move forward without the Wicks restrictions. The reforms also include the pre-qualification measures that I have sought to keep City construction costs in-line and to the highest standards of integrity and quality. We will continue to support a full repeal of Wicks law, but I applaud State leaders for making major progress. I would like to thank Marla Simpson, the Director of the Mayor’s Office of Contract Services, Steven Stein-Cushman, chief of the Contracts and Real Estate Division of the New York City Law Department and Michelle Goldstein, Director of the City’s Legislative Affairs Office in Albany for their hard work on this matter.”