Ignoring the Expert

From Eye on Boise story of the Idaho legislature ignoring an expert in their midst:

Why was Rep. Phil Hart, R-Athol, such a vocal participant in the Capitol renovation debate in the House this week? It’s because Hart, a civil engineer, did his own research and determined that the proposed two-story, underground additions on the east and west sides of the Capitol would extend down into the water table. “I would look at this as a 100-year building, and that means it’ll have to have a dewatering system that’ll need to run 24/7 for 100 years,” Hart said. “I would rather have a one-story addition that didn’t have this ongoing problem.” However, he was outvoted, and the two-story plan passed the House and moved to the Senate.

Hopefully the Senate will amend this so we don’t end up with a 100 year bad decision. I’ve been in the Capitol and the Gold Room where far too many big hearings are held in a facility that can’t handle them. So, some expansion is due. I have a sense, though that my generation and the next few generations of Idahoans will end up paying for this mistake.

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