Office Space Dispute Clouds Capitol Construction

Updated: 01/14/2015 7:26 PM Created: 01/14/2015 7:15 PM KSTP.com By: Tom Hauser

The good news is the $273-million renovation of the Minnesota State Capitol is on time and on budget. The bad news is it might not stay that way if lawmakers and the governor can't resolve disagreements over office space allocation in the renovated building.

"I always believed the toughest hurdle to get over would be the actual allocation of the space within the structure," says Gov. Mark Dayton. Under a tentative plan, the amount of space devoted to the governor's administration would grow.There will also be space for both the Senate and House. Most House members will continue to have their offices in the State Office Building. A new Senate office building under construction across the street from the Capitol is supposed to have offices for all 67 state senators. However, some Senators might have a second office in the Capitol.

"There is an issue of offices relative to the Senate (needing) a number of offices for the function of the Senate," says Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk, (D-Cook). Bakk says most office the Senate needs will be for the administration of the Senate, but he admits there could be some offices for Senators.

Republican Senate Minority Leader David Hann (R-Eden Prairie) objects to that idea. "I don't need two offices," says Hann. "Now maybe some people do, but I don't. In my opinion you build a new office building for Senator, that's where they should be."

That's a reference to the new Senate office building under construction across the street from the Capitol that was strongly opposed by Republicans.

The Capitol Preservation Commission has until next Thursday to approve the final construction plans and avoid construction delays that could cost $680,000a month.

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Office Space Dispute Clouds Capitol Construction