By AP
Oklahoma City, OK – Oklahoma Capitol crumbles with no repair money
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) The state Capitol has been a symbol of Oklahoma's history and aspirations since it opened in 1917.
It was built on an oilfield with dozens of working rigs that represented the state's hopes for prosperity. Its halls were lined with the portraits of famous residents, including humorist Will Rogers, Olympic champion Jim Thorpe and Soquoyah, creator of the Cherokee syllabary.
But today, the building mostly reflects Oklahoma's problems, especially its fiscal hardship.
The stately structure is beginning to crumble, and pieces of limestone are falling from slabs overhead.
State lawmakers cut funding for schools, mental health and public safety last session as they struggled with a $500 million deficit. They must now weigh the cost of r