OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Newly elected House Speaker Jeff Hickman says his Republican colleagues agree on the need for repairs to the crumbling state Capitol, but that no consensus has been reached on how to pay for it.
Hickman met behind closed doors Monday with the Republican caucus to discuss various proposals to cut the state's income tax and to hear from the Capitol architect on plans for Capitol repairs.
Hickman says no consensus has been reached on the specifics of a tax cut or Capitol repairs, but that members do agree improvements must be made to the nearly 100-year-old building.
A Senate committee last week overwhelmingly approved a plan for a $160 million bond issue to fund Capitol repairs and Gov. Mary Fallin strongly supports the idea.