Capitol-Repair Bonds Urged

Sen. Harry Coates, R-Seminole, said lawmakers need to do their duty and authorize bonds to repair the Oklahoma State Capitol without waiting for a popular vote in November.

“We’re at the point now where the building may not be survive another decade if we don’t act immediately,” Coates said last week.

“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,” he said.

The 2011 Legislature authorized $480,000 for emergency repairs and an engineering study after several pieces of the limestone façade fell from the Capitol building. 

Coates said he is frustrated by an effort by several key Republican lawmakers in the House to seek voter approval for any bonds for the repair effort.

Rep. Earl Sears, R-Bartlesville, chairman of the House Appropriations and Budget Committee, said at a recent legislative forum that he would support bonds to repair the Capitol, but only if voters get the final okay on the new debt.

 “As legislators, we have to make hard decisions but this isn’t one of them,” Coates said. “We were elected and get paid to do a job and we need do it and stop making our constituents do our jobs.”

Coates said state ballot questions have a purpose, but the voters should not be asked to make financial decisions.

“We have regularly passed similar bond issues over the years so there’s no reason to stop now,” he said. “We need to approve a bond issue this session and save our incredible state treasure.”

The state has occupied the building since 1917. Work began on the Capitol in 1914 and was completed in 1919.

The Office of Central Services estimated it would cost $140 million to repair the deteriorating structure, which still relies on its original plumbing and electrical wiring.

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Oklahoma
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