Sactown Magazine recently printed an article by Rob Turner and stated, "Assemblyman Ken Cooley is on a mission."

Cooley's mission as Chair of the Joint Rules Committee (a committee of 15 senators and 15 assembly members) is to tear down the present State Capitol annex and replace it with a new annex version and destroy parts of Capitol Park.

The reason for tearing down the present annex is that "the building no longer met many modern safety requirements." such as accessibility for the disability community, water sprinklers, and, oh yes, the outdated air-conditioning system. Why do they want to fix the air-conditioning system so the state legislature members can meet year-round in comfort while finding more ways to tax the public?

The article in Sactown states that Assemblyman Cooley refers to the Capitol Building as "the people's house. "It may be the people's house, but members of the State Legislature don't need a palace to do their work," says Carl Burton, a former member of California Senior Legislature.

In 2018, AB 1826 was passed and signed into law by Gov. Brown; it appropriated $755 million by California State Legislature members for the new Capitol annex.

Now the state Legislative Analyst's Office "estimates that the total costs for the project would likely total over $1 billion, with interest costs of a few hundred million." When California is facing a staggering $54-billion-dollar deficit, mostly due to forest wildfires and Covid-19; as a result, concerned citizens, organizations, and community leaders have come together under the umbrella of Save Our Capitol! to stop the demolition and preserve the Capitol and surrounding park.

Burton stated, "I believe California's debt will only increase because of business closure in the state and as state unemployment increases."

"The taxpayers of California don't need to spend a billion dollars for members of the state legislature to sit in a Taj Mahal."

Burton said, "My Assemblyman, Ken Cooley, and other members of the state legislature surely must see the homeless people on the streets of Sacramento and other cities and towns around California as they drive to work."

Burton added, "California taxpayers' dollars should be spent on the neediest among us, like California fire victims, the homeless, the sick and disabled, senior citizens in need of food and housing. Getting our children back in school is a priority because our kids are the Golden State's future. California doesn't need to build a Taj Mahal."

California residents have an opportunity to make their voices heard by visiting SaveOurCapitol.org, learning more, and taking action.

Contact: Carl Burton, President Republicans of River City
RRC phone 916-485-5741
Email carl@carlburton.com