Reader comments
Showtime looms for Capitol

Now that the government has spent $200 mil to make their place of business safe from earthquake, maybe they could start thinking up a plan to make the rest of Salt Lake safe. How are we going to get the thousands of brick homes and older buildings retrofitted? What's the evacuation plan? If living in Salt Lake on a normal day is like smoking 5 cigarettes, think what it would be like after a serious earthquake with fires and chemical leaks.

The renovation was estimated at $340 million BEFORE the work began. So it ceertainly cost more than they are telling us. What is the truth?
Also, now that we can sleep knowing the capital bldg is somewhat safe from a moderate earthquake, how do we reconcile the fact that schools, freeway bridges, hospitals, gas, sewer and water lines will all be damaged after such an earthquake but happily the all-mighty capital bldg will be intact?

I love the Capitol and want to thank the legislature for preserving it for generations to come.

Kevin-I'm pretty sure we don't want the legislature planning our evacuation. That is a local government function that is best handled by our local police and fire.

I stop and ponder the impact $200M could have in respect to the homeless or single parent poverty families in our community.

I would love to provide my 5 children with the Christmas "special woven wall fabric" could have provided. As it is, we were able to carefully budget $500 out for their Christmas this year. My wife and I decided to personally "skip" getting gifts for each other for the first time ever. Our children will be grateful for what they get because we have taught them to appreciate even small things and not expect the "best of the best". They will get to open a few presents on Christmas morning unlike some children in our community so I feel blessed. Maybe we can promise them a trip to see the "gold" room as an additional gift.

Being associated with the residential contracting market times are hard this year.

Mr. Huntsman, could I borrow a little cash until times become less strained? Maybe you could charge $1 per visit to view the foreign fabric (why foreign - support USA product) or the gold room. I wonder, have you ever had to budget $500 between your children for Christmas?

Okay,

A. This was all thought of and approved in Leavitt's time, Huntsman was just there during the construction. He's yet to have an office in the Capitol

B. Issues specific to Salt Lake City are part of Salt Lake City or Salt Lake County budgets, not the State

C. Ya, we could all live on less than we do and give more of our money to the homeless or struggling college students (like me), but we don't, do we? Our government is in the billion dollar a year budget, and a lot of that money is going to many worthwhile causes. Preserving history may not be the most important cause, but what would we do if we had to split a budget between the entire state. What's more important chronic homelessness, the meth problem, uninsured children, or teachers? That's no easy question to answer.

What about the cost of the fountain in the courtyard...At the sum of 2 million. And still does not work the way it was originally created.

Don't get into a panic...The capitol is the most beautiful building in the State and should continue to do so. It represents Utah very well. Good job to the Governor and the State of Utah.

The lieutenant Govvenor hopes all the workers understand the urgency to complete the this project??? Is the world going to come to an end? Are we all going to be stricken with some horable desease if its not open by the 4th of January? Is it realy worth all these workers working non stop during Christmas when they should be spending time with there families? I thought this state was all about families. Perhaps the Lieutenant govenor ought to roll up his sleeves and go out there and do some work, after all he is just another employee of the State not King. It just goes to show why people miss trust polititions so much. And David Hart had better go out and crack his whip,PLEASE.I know David thinks he owns this building but I have news for him WE THE PEOPLE OWN THAT BUILDING.

Please, Mr. "subcontrator", spare us of your emotions and harsh ridicule of the elected officials who have recently toured the Capitol. Obviously, they have no understanding of the kind of work necessary to employ a working staff in a building that was, until a few days ago, a complete construction zone.

As for your silly comment that "Are we all going to be stricken with some horable (sic) disease if its not open by the 4th of January...." - you clearly misunderstand the intent of the Lieutenant Governor's comment. January 4th is "StateHoood Day" - and that is a fact that cannot be changed, despite the opening of the Capitol. The elected official of whom you attack was simply (it seems) reminding us of that fact.

Get back to work, Mr. "subcontractor" - you still have a million yards to sew, with little fabric remaining.

THE CONTRACTOR