Governor wants $14M to start planning new Capitol complex

Gov. Janet Napolitano wants $14 million to start planning a new half-billion-dollar Capitol complex in time for the state’s 2012 centennial.

The funds are part of $40 million in the governor’s budget request this year for projects in the Capitol Mall.

These include $21.3 million to build a new parking garage for her staff, legislative staff, and visitors, and $4.4 million to renovate the no longer needed state health laboratory.

The centerpiece, though, would be a 300,000-squarefoot House and Senate complex — one that easily could cost $500 million, according to Steve Gervais, a lobbyist for Arizona Public Service who is working with the Governmental Mall Commission on ideas for a new Capitol.

That price tag, however, is causing some heartburn.

“We don’t have the money,” said Rep. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa. In fact, Pearce, who is chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, said he questions whether there is even $14 million in this year’s budget just to start the planning process.

But Sen. Bob Burns, R-Peoria, Pearce’s counterpart in the Senate, said a case might be made for that kind of expenditure.

“The buildings are becoming unfunctional,” he said of the twin three-story House and Senate offices which opened in 1960.

On top of that, the Senate has suffered several plumbing failures in the last year alone, one which flooded basement offices.

“To me, that’s really the strongest argument,” Burns said.

And, he added, if the state is going to spend the money for a functional building, “you might as well make it look nice while you’re at it.”

The project would not touch the original state Capitol, built in 1900 at a cost of $136,000, which is known for its unique copper dome.

Pearce is unconvinced the spending makes sense.

“We suffer from this edifice complex,” he said. “These buildings aren’t great. But they’re functional.”

Pearce said the request comes even as Napolitano wants to balance next year’s state budget by borrowing about $400 million for school construction.

“We have major needs we’re fighting over,” he said.

Mike Haener, a deputy chief of staff to Napolitano, said the governor understands there are more important priorities.

“We’d rather have a new medical school than a new Capitol,” he said, adding that more money for teacher pay also is more important.

The budget request from Napolitano says that $14 million will include architectural and engineering design as well as preparing the documents necessary to put the project out for bid.

But Haener said that doesn’t mean Napolitano has definitely decided taxpayers need to finance a new Capitol.

“It’s something to discuss,” he said.

Gervais said it might be possible to renovate the existing buildings, expanding them and constructing a new, belowgrade entrance to both in the mall between.

But Gervais said investing the money in “a grand Capitol complex” would pay off, at least in nonfinancial ways.

“It aspires a different level of performance,” he said.

“It aspires a higher level of service in the people that seek it out.”