Gov. Bill Ritter said plans to repair the Capitol’s golden dome are on hold, at least for now.
At an event Monday honoring State Capitol Life Safety Project Day, the governor said that funding safety features like fire exits and a sprinkler system were more of a priority than spending the $11 million he said would be needed to repair the dome.
“This is a public building, and people come in and out, so we need to do all we can to keep people safe,” he said.
Ritter said that it might be a few years before the money to repair the dome is raised.
“It depends on the cycle of the economy,” he said. “When we get to a place where we’re seeing an uptick in revenues, then we’ll look at how to invest money in our infrastructures.”
The 19th-century dome is made almost completely from cast iron, and that iron is rusting, causing the structure to crumble. But state officials say the public is not in any danger from the decaying structure. Visitors to the capitol are not allowed on the walkway around the dome since a 10-pound piece of crumbling cast iron fell off it in 2007.
This year, the State Historical Fund offered a $3 million grant, paid for with casino revenues, to repair the dome, but only if the state could give the other $8 million needed.
When lawmakers denied the request, the historical fund took back the money.
Despite the deteriorating condition of one of the symbols of Colorado, Ritter said that the economic downturn means the state needs to focus on what’s most important.
“It’s a symbol of the downturn that safety becomes paramount,” he said.
Claire Trageser: 303-954-1638 or ctrageser@denverpost.com
