OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Contractors awarded a $120 million contract to refurbish the Oklahoma Capitol say they need more than twice that amount to meet the specifications of the project — money that will be hard to come by in a tight budget year.
The two contractors selected for the project presented $187 million in new spending on Thursday to members of a panel overseeing the project. The new spending includes $122 million to complete the project goals and another $65 million for exterior upgrades that one member referred to as "fluff."
The State Capitol Repair Expenditure Oversight Committee is expected to take a formal vote in February on whether to present the additional funding request to the Legislature.
House Appropriations Chairman Rep. Earl Sears acknowledged the additional spending will be a tough sell.