Capitol plan may include a garage

A multilevel underground parking garage for state employees, costing an estimated $10 million, may be added to the massive renovation of the Utah Capitol set for completion late next year.

The four-year, $200 million renovation project never included additional parking. Instead, planners intended to tackle the long-time problem once the 60-year-old building had been shored up against earthquake damage and redone, inside and out.

Now, though, they're having second thoughts.

"This is so easy and so straightforward," David Hart, executive director of the state Capitol Preservation Board, said of the proposal to put about 250 parking stalls beneath the grounds to the east of the domed building. "Why didn't we think of this before?"

It was a University of Utah engineering class studying parking at the Capitol that suggested the location of the new garage. The proposal will be considered Thursday by a board subcommittee and, later in the month, by the full board.

If the board approves the parking proposal, the needed funding could be sought during one of the two special sessions of the Legislature expected to be called in the coming weeks by Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.

Or the board could just authorize using some of the $50 million appropriated for the Capitol renovation during the 2006 Legislature. That would mean the board would have to go back to lawmakers next year for additional money.

Huntsman has said he will only put income tax reform on the agenda for the special session he's planning to call in mid-May. Another special session is tentatively set for June to deal with any other issues.

A spokesman for the governor said the proposal would be considered.

"There is merit in discussing this proposal," said Mike Mower, his deputy chief of staff. "This proposal does provide longer-term parking solutions for the Capitol area."

While lawmakers had a record $1 billion-plus in extra cash to spend last session, there is only about $17 million in one-time money still available. Huntsman has already said he'd like to use some of that to pay for dental care for the poor.

Rep. Ron Bigelow, R-West Valley, and the co-chairman of the Legislature's Executive Appropriations Committee, said he didn't believe lawmakers would be upset if the board just went ahead on the project now.

"If this were added, I don't know that many would be too concerned," Bigelow said. "The Legislature doesn't review individual parts of the project. . . . It's a huge project — $50 million is just this year's installment."