February 19, 2015 5:09 PM

Senate select committee starts work on deteriorating state facilities

Many facilities are in such bad shape it is said to be "embarrassing," plus costs of leasing vs owning will get a close look

Sen. Kevin Eltife, R-Tyler, said it is long past time for lawmakers to take a serious look at the condition of many state-owned facilities, which is why he’s pleased to take the gavel of the new Senate Select Committee on Government Facilities. The idea is to create a long-term plan for deferred maintenance and a long-term direction on government facilities, he said.

Eltife, the former Tyler mayor and past member of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, has already found a strong voice this session on issues ranging from budget priorities and transportation funding to government facility maintenance.

The Texas Facilities Commission has requested $1 billion for deferred maintenance, of which $287 million would be emergency repairs. That’s up from $400 million in 2006, a number that will only grow as deferrals continue.

"We have not taken care of our properties over the last 15 years. It's sad to see some of the condition of some of these buildings," Eltife said. "If you drive by them and realize it's a state-owned building, you'd be embarrassed to be a part of the Legislature."

That squares with recent testimony by Comptroller Glenn Hegar, who told lawmakers that field offices in his department are so deteriorated that it is indeed an embarrassment. Hegar said he was in no way asking for the best facilities imaginable, but basic cleanliness should be a given in state office space.

By Kimberly Reeves