Labor Council encourages more local hiring on publicly funded development projectsCHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – The Chattanooga Area Labor Council is encouraging Hamilton County leaders to consider hiring more local workers for publicly funded construction projects, saying the move could strengthen the local economy and keep taxpayer dollars in the community. During Wednesday’s Hamilton County Commission meeting, staff organizer Patrick Cate presented a new study examining the economic impact of local hiring on publicly funded development projects. Cate said the organization’s goal is to encourage policies that prioritize local workers whenever possible. If you use 85 percent local labor, then it’s going to be around 34 and a half job years, or around 50 percent more jobs.” “I believe that a 20 percent return on investment, basically just for hiring local laborers for the local community, is pretty strong.