Monstrosity: Photographic Evidence of California’s State Capitol Building Project

In September 2020, while California was still suffering under Governor Gavin Newsom’s oppressive COVID restrictions, lockdowns of healthy Californians, and business and school closures, the Joint Legislative Committee on Rules held a hearing on the plans for the $543.2 million renovation of the State Capitol while ignoring actual state business urgencies. Notably, the project has ballooned to $1.5 billion – that we know of.

The Globe is willing to bet that the project will balloon to $4 to $5 billion… place your bets!

This project is reminiscent of Obamacare: “We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it.” In this case, “we have to build the new structure in order to find out what is in it.”

The entire California state budget is about $321.1 billion in total state spending… excluding the unfunded public employee pensions and healthcare.

Then-Assemblyman Kevin Kiley (R-Granite Bay) told the Globe in 2020, “The issues we should be holding hearings on aren’t happening. But the Legislature can spruce up its own digs.”

Bada-bing. Bada-boom.

The State Capitol Annex Project entails a great deal, and it should for $1.5 billion – or $5 billion. According to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), from which the project was exempted, the project demolished and is reconstructing the existing 325,000 square foot existing Capitol Annex building with a new, much larger 525,000 square foot building. A new underground visitors/welcome center will be located between 10th Street and the west steps of the Capitol. Existing basement parking under the Annex will be abandoned and replaced with new underground parking (approx. 200 spaces) on the south side of the Capitol.

The old building is being replaced by a hideous glass eyesore that dwarfs the original Capitol’s neo-classical Roman, Grecian design in the beautiful portico, pediment and columns.

However, all investigations by media outlets into the Capitol construction project costs and NDAs have gone nowhere. California Public Records requests have gone nowhere – most were denied for “security” reasons.

The real story is that the governor and elected Democrats responsible for the project don’t want the public to know about their squandering taxpayer funds on a vanity project. Lawmakers just wanted fancier digs, with no concern about the taxpayers who are footing the bill, or Democrats’ perpetual staggering budget deficit.

In this video by Steve Davis, “Karen Jacques talks about the lost resources if the legislation proceeds with the redevelopment of the West side of the State Capitol. History was made in August of 2023 with the demolition of our State Annex Building.” Jaques shares the history of the architecture of the Capitol, as well as the now-former legislative offie building.

The Globe recently reported:

Reporter Ashley Zavala with KCRA recently asked Gov. Newsom and California Attorney General Rob Bonta about the Capitol construction project at a news conference. “Both Bonta and Newsom mentioned or criticized Trump’s White House ballroom construction in their remarks,” Zavala reported.

“Trump has made clear he’s more focused on tearing down a historic building to build himself a gold laden ballroom for lavish parties and ensuring American families can put dinner on the table,” Bonta said.

So naturally, Zavala asked about the excessive cost and secrecy of California’s Capitol Annex renovation.

Look at this demolition and reconstruction… yet Democrats are screaming about President Donald Trump’s new privately funded White House ballroom project. The Psychology Of Deflection.

Steve Davis has a camera that he puts about 15 feet up in the air and can zoom in and capture audio of the construction workers, as well as time lapse videos and drone footage. Steve said, “I started with the first palm tree removal and the relocations of majority of trees. I have over 325 hours of documentation from the beginning.”

The new structure is larger than the Capitol. It’s a ludicrous monument to the large egos inside of that building, despite record budget deficits and unfunded pension liabilities – a total waste of public resources; i.e. the taxpayers do not benefit at all from this lavish project.

We echo what Rick Stevenson recently wrote for the Globe:

“There is no need for replacement of the Capitol new building. Instead, it should be restored and updated as such has been beautifully accomplished with the original Capitol structure. Fine examples of neighboring structures that underwent that process are the State Library and Courts Building, and the privately owned Senator Hotel, both older than the Capitol new building. The Tower of London has been upgraded for a thousand years and is one of the most visited, functional, and secure structures in the world.”

Gov. Newsom was characteristically condescending to Zavala:

“For you to conflate or compare or contrast, with all due respect, that I would separate from the ballroom and the desecration and the process that evolved, and the fact that he secured $300 million under curious circumstances from the annex and what the Legislature is trying to do,” Newsom said.

“I’m not trying to defend those actions,” Newsom said, about the annex.

“I didn’t know they were not talking to you, that members of the Legislature were not talking to you,” Newsom said.

As Ashley Zavala reported, “The governor’s office did not respond to a request for comment in KCRA 3’s story earlier this month with similar questions asked in Tuesday’s press conference.”

The Globe contacted an attorney about Governor Newsom’s and legislative leaders’ violation of the California Public Records Request Act and refusal to provide media and the public with the financials and details of the Capitol renovation, and what media can do to get the public records they have requested. Media can file a lawsuit against the Governor, the Assembly Speaker and Senate President, as well as the lawmakers heading up the project.

The California Public Records Act was passed by the California Legislature and signed into law by Governor Ronald Reagan in 1968 requiring inspection or disclosure of governmental records to the public upon request, unless exempted by law.

This is the state of the State of California under a Democrat Supermajority and Gov. Gavin Newsom.