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Public pressure sidelines office improvements

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By PAUL GLASSER

June 5, 2008

Senator David Williams

Critics say suspending planned renovations of Senate and House offices at the Capitol Annex was the right decision.

Senate President David Williams, R-Burkesville, said he'll indefinitely suspend plans to renovate 5,250 square feet of office space on the second floor of the annex.

Seven bids for the project came in Tuesday, with the lowest bid at $449,000 and the highest at $597,000.

"Due to present financial constraints affecting segments of state government, I have determined to indefinitely suspend further renovation," Williams wrote in a letter to Robert Sherman, director of the Legislative Research Commission.

The plan was the final phase of a three-part project to renovate House and Senate offices at the annex. According to the bid specifications, work would have included improvements to the caucus room, a press conference room, lounge and kitchen.

Sen. Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown, wrote a letter to Williams expressing concerns about the timing of the renovation project and asked that it be postponed.

"In a time when Kentuckians are watching their checkbooks, state government should do no less," Thayer wrote.

Eric Lewis, an instructor at Morehead State University and member of the public advocacy group Kentuckians for the Commonwealth, said he's pleased the project was suspended.

"It would have a sent a better signal if they hadn't stumbled into this to begin with," Lewis said. "State leadership needs to appear frugal if that's what they demand of state employees and citizens in general."

During the 2008 legislative session, Gov. Steve Beshear said the state was facing a financial "crisis" and a revenue shortfall of more than $434 million. The legislature approved a biennial budget that included cuts to many state agencies including education and human services.

Lewis said it's important for legislative leaders to send the right signal to constituents and set the right expectations.

"At a time when budgets are tight, for the legislative leadership to improve their facilities, it would appear as an extravagance to some people," Lewis said.

Sen. Julian Carroll, D-Frankfort, said it was the right decision, but it was only made after public pressure was exerted. He said his office did not need additional improvements because he was given more space during earlier renovations.

"It's a little late but it's finally some good judgment," Carroll said.

Rep. Carl Rollins, D-Midway, said he's glad the renovations were suspended because there are more important things to do.

"I think it's a good move," Rollins said.

Under the proposed plan, senators would have moved into offices previously occupied by the executive branch's budget staff after they were vacated and renovated. A spokesperson for the Finance and Administration Cabinet said it had not received notice that the project had been suspended but the offices had already been surrendered and staff relocated.

There are plans for members of the House to absorb more than 14,800 square feet of office space for conference rooms and legislative offices. The offices would be located in the south and west wings on the third and fourth floors of the Capital Annex.

Brian Wilkerson, a spokesman for House Speaker Jody Richards, D-Bowling Green, said Richards was aware of the decision and decided not to pursue the proposed renovations to the House offices.

Paris Hopkins, senior advisor to Richards, said some House members are in small offices and the plan is to move them into standard-size ones approximately 16 feet by 16 feet.

Hopkins said the additional meeting rooms will also allow legislators to accommodate large numbers of visiting constituents, such as school groups.

"We do have a need for some additional space," Hopkins said.

Rollins said his offices are adequate.

Another earlier phase of the renovations project included about $180,000 of improvements to 8,400 square feet of offices, Wilkerson said. He said the renovations were "modest" and were built by government workers.

Williams was criticized last year when a 60-inch plasma screen TV was installed in his office. At the time, a media center for the Senate cost about $17,400 and for meetings, Williams said.

A lounge for House members on the third floor of the annex also contains a large LCD television, although the size and price was not immediately available.

Comments

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11.	Posted by trying June 6, 2008
	Not to mention that it is his second office up there, lol. Why? Because Fletcher let his old buddy get away with it, that's why!

10.	Posted by cattailky June 6, 2008
	David Williams has cherry furniture and 60" plasma in his office. Why? I live in a cubicle!

9.	Posted by sgfort June 6, 2008
	I saw a black Chevy Suburban with the emblem "For Official Use Only" at Steak & Shake last Friday night. In the restaurant was our Commissioner of Agriculture with his family. Coincidence?...

8.	Posted by answerman June 5, 2008
	Nana, check out the link below. http://pageonekentucky.com/2008/06/04/put-an-end-to-state-vehicle-abuse-speak-up/#comments This blog is asking for photos of abusers of official type vehicles.

7.	Posted by nanatomany June 5, 2008
	Speaking of charging things to the people who pay their salaries....how about putting a stop to the state employees (legislature, senate, executive branch included), state police, city police, sheriff offices and any other entity which drives a public vehicle from using it for PERSONAL reasons!! I cannot begin to tell you how many times I and my family have witnessed mostly law enforcement officers using the police cars to run personal errands. They take their families to the grocery, shopping, and anywhere else they feel like. But they are using OUR tax dollars to pay for the gas!! With the gas prices so high it sure is becoming a knife in the side of the public to see this happening. Just think how much that may save on the budget!! It may have been a perk or privilage before...but now it's just VERY annoying!

6.	Posted by HaightAshbury June 5, 2008
	Voters around the state keep electing the same ole hacks to lead this state. So quit acting act surprised or getting upset when this type of crap occurs.

5.	Posted by HaightAshbury June 5, 2008
	Voters around the state keep electing the same ole hacks to lead this state. So quit acting act surprised or getting upset when this type of crap occurs.

4.	Posted by HaightAshbury June 5, 2008
	Voters around the state keep electing the same ole hacks to lead this state. So quit acting act surprised or getting upset when this type of crap occurs.

3.	Posted by Tamed-Shrew June 5, 2008
	""Due to present financial constraints affecting segments of state government, I have determined to indefinitely suspend further renovation," Williams wrote in a letter to Robert Sherman, director of the Legislative Research Commission."" That's such BS. It has nothing to do with budget, because that was already approved; this has to do with backlash to comments Williams made to the tune of "Let them eat cake." Williams is a liar, and a two-face. Check out his comments in this story: State Senate offices to be expanded, renovated BIDS REQUESTED WHILE OTHER AGENCIES FACE BUDGET CUTS By John Cheves JCHEVES@HERALD-LEADER.COM The Kentucky Senate is renovating its offices at the state Capitol Annex in Frankfort, while public health programs, law enforcement, education and other state services face cuts. On Tuesday, the state requested bids for construction on the Annex's second floor to build new Senate offices, caucus rooms with kitchens, a press conference room and a Senate lounge. The 5,250 square feet of space previously was used by executive-branch agencies, which are slowly being evicted as the General Assembly claims more space in the Annex. New furniture, appliances and electronics will be purchased. Senate President David Williams said he won't know the project's cost until bids are opened next week. But lawmakers can afford it. While the legislature this winter told Gov. Steve Beshear to cut $230 million from the executive branch's $9.1 billion budget, it awarded itself 13 percent more over two years, taking it up to $55.6 million in 2010. It tucked about $1.4 million for capital projects into this year's budget. "It's nothing very extravagant," said Williams, R-Burkesville. "Each one of the senators will have an appropriate office now. We have at least one senator who has a rather small office." But critics said Wednesday that they were stunned to learn that senators are making themselves more comfortable as the rest of Kentucky sacrifices. "We wish the 52,000 children eligible for health insurance coverage through KCHIP, but not enrolled because of inadequate funds, would receive the same level of attention as the 5,250 square feet of Senate office space now being renovated," said Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates. "The emphasis on these self-serving projects over the needs of real people is sadly becoming the norm." Sen. Ernesto Scorsone, D-Lexington, has challenged Williams previously on Senate office improvements. Scorsone publicly mocked Williams last year for installing a new 60-inch plasma-screen television in his office -- part of an earlier, $639,000-round of renovations -- and Williams ordered Scorsone off the Senate Judiciary Committee. "This just adds insult to injury," Scorsone said Wednesday. "With all of the cuts to human services, to education, to proceed with the expansion and renovation of our Senate offices is sinful. How can we expect the public to hold any confidence in our actions if these are the kinds of priorities we have?" Williams denied that state budget cuts are inflicting real pain. "We're in relatively good shape with our state budget, compared to what some other state governments are going through," Williams said. Regarding the Health and Family Services Cabinet and the Justice Cabinet, both of which are reporting sweeping program cuts, he said, "You're talking about people who you couldn't print enough money for. I don't accept the premise that they're cutting anything to the bone." As for the Senate's office improvements, Williams said, "You could go through a lot of things (in the state budget) and ask 'Is this proper?' or 'Is that proper?' But it's in the budget for the legislature, and it needs to be done. ... We can't shut down the legislature or fail to maintain the premises we have." This is the third phase of improvements since 2003 to legislative offices and committee hearing rooms in the Capitol Annex, which have cost several million dollars so far, according to the Legislative Research Commission. Senate and House members get individual offices on the second, third and fourth floors of the Annex. Williams and other legislative leaders also get second offices in the Capitol itself near the Senate and House chambers. In coming months, as more executive branch agencies are moved out of the third and fourth floors of the Annex -- a move ordered by the legislature -- additional House office space might be expanded and renovated as well, said LRC Director Robert Sherman.

2.	Posted by trying June 5, 2008
	That's funny. Now that everybody is moved out and squeezed into offices half their previous size they stop the renovations. Would be nice if they would let everbody back into their old offices. But of course that won't happen. At least the offices will be so small now and so far away that those peskly legislative aids won't drop by all the time during session time with all those ridiculous requests. Can't offer them a seat to sit down anymore, lol.

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