Capitol remodeling plan questioned

By World's Editorials Writers on May 14, 2013, at 2:26 AMUpdated on 5/14/13 at 9:02 AM

Voters in the Tulsa Public Schools district have a crucial decision to make at the election polls on Tuesday.

Does anyone else see the massive irony in Gov. Mary Fallin's latest attack on the Obama administration? She accused the president of not keeping his word and of "actively" seeking to toss 30,000 Oklahomans off a state-subsidized health-insurance program, when she has had it in her power for many months to singlehandedly provide health insurance for an estimated 180,000 residents by next year.

In the $7.1 billion state budget recently unveiled, lawmakers managed to carve out $7 million for remodeling some office space left vacant by the departure of the appellate courts, which are now housed in new quarters.

Lawmakers also set aside $120 million for repairing the Capitol, and were insistent that the $7 million needed right away for remodeling not be taken out of that allocation.

Problem is, doing the remodeling work now could mean that work will have to be torn out and done over when the major repair work is undertaken.

Finance Secretary Preston Doerflinger said he raised that issue several times during budget negotiations, to no avail. In fact, lawmakers seem to be in an unusual hurry to spruce up their own digs, as if they fear somebody or something might get in their way.

"I just question if that was the best use of their monies at this time versus trying to dovetail into the overall project," said Doerflinger.

Doerflinger has been a welcome voice of reason and common sense since he went to work for the state. He's exactly right on this subject. How many Oklahomans would consider office remodeling to the tune of $7 million to be a high priority?

What's more, lawmakers could have saved that $120 million set aside for Capitol repairs by going the logical and sensible route of a bond issue for that work, but oh no. Debt is now a dirty word in politics, even though managing debt is proof to bond rating companies of a state's fiscal abilities.

Originally posted here:
Capitol remodeling plan questioned