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12/6/2006
Lobbying is not a bad thing
Proposing what may be the most expensive building code change in Wisconsin history, the Department of Commerce is going to hold just one public hearing on it – four days before Christmas.
Commerce wants to force builders of small apartment buildings and condos – buildings over 2 units – to install fire sprinkler systems. Current state law requires sprinklers in multifamily buildings of 21 units or more.
In the Fox Cities, homebuilders believe this rule would increase construction costs on small buildings $3,000 to $10,000 per unit. In rural communities – where additional installation equipment is needed to boost water pressure – the costs could be even higher, driving the cost of housing beyond the means of many working families.
As you would guess, Wisconsin firefighters support sprinklers everywhere. Their major claim is that sprinklers save more lives and significantly reduce property loss. The claim is also made that adding sprinklers to new buildings will ultimately reduce firefighting (building and personnel) and insurance costs. That tells me they won’t stop at apartment buildings, but will eventually lobby for sprinklers in all new structures, including single-family homes.
Scottsdale, Arizona has been at this sprinkler business for nigh on 20 years. Their review indicates costs per unit much closer to the low end claimed by homebuilders here. Scottsdale also claims additional cost savings with narrower streets (fire trucks need to get in less often), decreased requirements for firewalls, increased length of cul-de-sacs and increased distances between hydrants. Insurance savings are claimed to be anywhere from 5 to 20%. The reports detail lives saved and structural fire losses significantly reduced due to sprinklers in multi- and single-family units. I could find no claims of savings to the community in total fire department costs.
So here’s the first question – Why is Commerce dealing with this in the first place? Wisconsin statutes specify that an automatic fire sprinkler system is required in multi-family buildings containing more than 20 dwelling units (101.14(4m)(b)2). If Commerce wants to change the statutes, don’t they have to go though the legislature? Those are the rules….
Then, the rest of the questions – 1) How will increased costs impact the supply of affordable housing, 2) what is the cost-benefit of eventually putting sprinklers in every structure built and 3) how do you factor in lives saved? When does the community good (i.e., in multi-family buildings) make it ok for the government to implement expensive, sometimes unproven, mandates?
I heard a legislator say the other day that more of our representatives must dig in, go to extra hearings and really work to understand what they’re voting on. (That’s a novel concept.) Today’s banner headlines of corruption aside, members of the lobbying profession are well qualified to inform us all. Yes, we’ve got to balance what is said on both sides. But these folks know what’s important to know about this arcane stuff. Important, arcane stuff.
Adding more and more burdensome, costly regulations seems to me to be the wrong course. Certainly changing a statute in one hearing (yes, only one hearing, in the middle of the holiday season) doesn’t pass the smell test. But this is the kind of stuff that goes on day in and day out in the halls of government. Now’s a good time to thank heavens for the well-informed lobbyists (the ETHICAL ones)whose job it is to keep their ears to the ground, even four days before Christmas.
COMMENTS
Lobbying is not a bad thing. Lobbying with cash in hand is!
Jack E. Lohman (Wed Dec 06 18:14:57 2006)
Excellent point Jack!
Jo Egelhoff, FoxPolitics.net (Wed Dec 06 18:57:45 2006)
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