Section 60 Taxpayer Standing Under the Prevailing Wage Law

• Library: Employer-Employee Law 2008

The Missouri Court of Appeals addressed the question of “taxpayer standing” under the Law in Querry v. State Highway & Transportation Commission, 60 S.W.3d 630, 635 (Mo. App. W.D. 2001). The underlying subject of the litigation involved an agreement between the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission and Digital Teleport, Inc. (DTI). The agreement concerned installation of fiber optic cable on highway right-of-way. As originally prepared, the agreement was described as a “public works contract,” and the contractor agreed to comply with the Law. In a later amendment, however, these references were removed and the amended agreement stated that it was not subject to the Law.

In Querry, the plaintiffs were described as Missouri taxpayers acting on behalf of hundreds of members of several...