Hickman Hits Ground Running On Capitol Repairs, Tax Cuts
Okla. House speaker talks Capitol repair, tax cuts
By SEAN MURPHY, Associated Press
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The state Capitol architect briefed House Republicans on some of the major repairs needed for the nearly 100-year-old building, but newly elected House Speaker Jeff Hickman said Monday no consensus has been reached on how to finance the overhaul.
Hickman, who was elected speaker last week, met behind closed doors with the 72-member Republican caucus to discuss various proposals to cut the state’s income tax and plans to repair the Capitol.
“The overwhelming consensus is that something has to be done,” said Hickman, R-Fairview. “It’s just a question of what and how much that costs.
“There are obviously some structural issues, not the least of which is the plumbing issue that’s going to have to be addressed.”
Capitol architect Duane Mass outlined repairs needed for the Capitol that totaled $163 million.