Local lawmakers throw dirt on tunnel plan

BENTON COUNTY — Two state lawmakers from Benton County declined Monday to sign off on a recommendation to construct a $1.8 million pedestrian tunnel between the state Capitol in Little Rock and a state building west of it.

The Legislative Council's Executive Subcommittee recommended last week the proposal - the total cost would be about $2.8 million - to the Arkansas Building Authority. Earlier, Gov. Mike Beebe had signaled his opposition toa different plan to build a pedestrian tunnel-sky bridge.

The estimated cost ofthat plan was between $2.8 million and $3.5 million. The governor will decide whether to release themoney for the tunnel. The latest tunnel plan would include a 100-foot tunnel between the state Capitol and the Multi-Agency Complex and one elevator; the earlier plan would have included a 125-foot tunneland two elevators.

Freshman state Rep. Tim Summers, R-Bentonville, said the tunnel is not needed.

"It's a want instead of a need," Summers said.

Veteran state Sen. Kim Hendren, R-Gravette, agreed.

Changes should be made to better accommodate citizens who come to the Capitol to participate in and see government operations, with more space for legislative committee rooms, Hendren said.

The subcommittee also signed off on plans to place legislative staff members and create two large legislative committee rooms on the fifth floor of the Multi-Agency Complex (commonly known as the "The Big Mac Building"), west of the Capitol.

"We have larger committees now because of term limits. But then you have a lot of lobbyists, and you have very little space for the public. So, what we want to take a look at - as well as the tunnel and the sky bridge and so forth - is, is there a way to move some of the accounting, auditing and other bookkeeping functions now housed there in the Capitol building itself - and there are a lot of them, a lot ofsquare feet - to the adjacent buildings across the street?" Hendren asked

That would help with security problems and make it easier for the public tofind legislative meetings, he said.

"I think we'll consider that deal before we build the tunnel or build the sky bridge," Hendren said.