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Oklahoma
State Senate
Communications Division
State Capitol
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73105
For Immediate Release: January 31, 2012
Sen. Harry Coates
Coates wants legislature to address Capitol repairs, not pass decision
off on voters
Sen. Harry
Coates is frustrated by recent suggestions that the legislature
have the citizens of Oklahoma vote to pass a bond issue to fix the
State Capitol building. Coates, who has been fighting for Capitol
repairs for years, believes this is an issue that needs to be addressed
by the legislature and quickly, not by the people in November.
“It’s sad that our predecessors in past decades and
years of surplus never thought to start a special account for Capitol
repairs and upgrades. This beautiful, historical building has been
falling into disrepair for some time and nothing has been done,”
said Coates, R-Seminole. “We’re at the point now where
the building may not be survive another decade if we don’t
act immediately. And now we’re in an election year and legislators
are afraid to vote on a bond issue to repair the building because
it might upset voters, so they want to pass the buck off on citizens,
and that’s wrong.”
A recent study by Office of Central Services found that it will
cost around $140 million to repair the nearly 100-year-old decaying
Capitol. Problems include original plumbing and electrical wiring
– all of which is extremely inadequate and inefficient. There
have been reports of raw sewage seeping out under the building and
pieces of the limestone exterior façade are falling off the
building. To protect the public and those who work in the building,
barriers have been put in place to block off the south steps and
other areas. It is estimated that without immediate repairs, the
limestone will continue to crumble and fall off and could all come
down within the next four or five years.
The legislature appropriated just under $480,000 last session for
emergency repairs and an engineering study.
“As legislators, we have to make hard decisions but this isn’t
one of them. We were elected and get paid to do a job and we need
do it and stop making our constituents do our jobs,” said
Coates. “State questions have a purpose, but I don’t
believe we should use them to make financial decisions. We have
regularly passed similar bond issues over the years so there’s
no reason to stop now. We need to approve a bond issue this session
and save our incredible state treasure.”
For more information contact:
Senate Coates: (405) 521-5547
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