The Nevada Supreme Court refused Wednesday to reconsider its ruling that Carson-Tahoe Hospital wasn't required to pay prevailing wage rates to construction workers who built the new facility, now known as Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center.
The Building and Construction trades Council of Northern Nevada and Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters filed the petition, arguing because the new hospital was financed with $95 million in economic development bonds authorized by Carson Supervisors, the hospital should pay prevailing- wage rates.
They argued that money is effectively public funding.
But the high court ruled nothing in statute requires all projects financed by city revenue bonds to pay prevailing wage.
They said that rule applies only to projects where "a public body of this state is a party." They said that means a political subdivision sponsoring or financing a public work.
The unions asked the court to reconsider its ruling, but the same six justices who ruled against them in March voted to deny rehearing.
The only dissent came from Justice Bill Maupin, who said he would grant rehearing.
In the original ruling, Maupin agreed with Carson District Judge Mike Griffin's ruling that the hospital should pay prevailing-wage rates because the law was intended to apply to any contract for new construction financed through the economic development revenue bond law and that the hospital fits that definition.
• Contact reporter Geoff Dornan at gdornan@nevadaappeal.com or 687-8750.
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