The Legislature’s Joint Rules Committee released a new plan for the Capitol Annex Project on September 9, 2020. There was no vote taken as there were not enough committee members there. The JRC wants to meet again before the end of September approve the new plan.
The new design is still a destructive, overpriced boondoggle.
The Visitor Center is given a Theme-park entrance that destroys the West Plaza between 10th Street and the West Steps to the Restored Capitol Building. If you have ever been to a demonstration at the Capitol, you have stood on the West Plaza. This Project will destroy that Plaza – so the Legislators will have their own entrances on the North and South sides of the Restored Capitol separate from citizens and visitors.
Three new Capitol Annex Building Designs have been proposed – all of them cutting off the views to the Restored Capitol that were promised in the original Environmental Review Documents. They will loom over the Restored Capitol and it is possible that the demolition of the old building will cause serious damage to that Historic Building. The Historic Capitol Annex is a state- and federally-recognized historic building.
The special underground parking garage for legislators has been moved to the front of the new Annex Building. It will come close to the roots of the Civil War grove of trees.
Tribal communities’ representatives have testified to the JRC again that they have been left out of the review process required by law during the design of the Project.
Costs have risen yet again; now this Project will cost around $1.3 billion, to be paid back by our General Fund over the next 25 years. In the meantime, the Legislature has a place being readied to move into – the Swing Space building across N Street. It will provide a safe place for the Legislative and Executive branch to work while a long-overdue health, safety, and access upgrade could be completed on the Historic Capitol Annex – for around $300 million. That is a lot less than what the Capitol Annex Project will cost!
To watch the Joint Rules Hearing 9/9/20, go to https://www.assembly.ca.gov/media/joint-committee-rules-20200909/video
To view the presentation slides for that hearing, go to
Questions? Email us at CapAnnexProject@gmail.com
Here’s how to help:
Write or call the Governor, the Joint Rules Committee, Legislative leaders, and your representatives:
1) Governor Newsom: gavin.newsom@gov.ca.gov
2) Joint Rules Committee: joint.rules@assembly.ca.gov – Attn: Nicole Willis
3) Speaker of Assembly Anthony Rendon: assemblymember.rendon@assembly.ca.gov
4) Senate President pro tem Toni Atkins: senator.atkins@senate.ca.gov
5) Call or email your own legislators. Find your Representative: http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov
You can figure out their office phone number this way: Assembly Member: 916-319-20__. The last two digits are the Member’s district number. For example, Assemblymember Cooley represents District 8; his phone number is 916-329-2008.