California’s controversial Capitol Annex reconstruction continues to rise in downtown Sacramento — yet taxpayers still don’t know how much they will ultimately pay for it.
Drone footage captured by KCRA 3 shows the new legislative office building taking shape, with crews already installing large glass panels along the facade. But when pressed for an updated cost estimate, the lawmakers overseeing the project said they still don’t have one.
"The project team is analyzing the financial implications resulting from the litigation and related changes in project scope," said Assemblymember Blanca Pacheco, who chairs the Joint Rules Committee responsible for oversight.
The lawsuit Pacheco referenced concluded in October 2023, yet no public update has followed. The committee previously promised to release new financial details this spring but adjourned for the year without doing so.
The Capitol Annex project — initially approved by Democratic lawmakers in 2018 without voter approval — was originally estimated at $543.2 million for a new office building, parking garage, and west side visitor center. But by 2022, internal projections showed the cost had ballooned to between $1.1 and $1.2 billion, rivaling the price of an NFL stadium.
Some elements are already being scaled back. Pacheco confirmed that work on the west side visitor center has "ceased," though she could not say whether canceling it would reduce the overall price.
Critics argue that the secrecy surrounding the project is intentional. More than 2,000 individuals — including lawmakers and government officials — were forced to sign non-disclosure agreements, barring them from publicly discussing details.
"I would think if the project were on time and on budget, they would be bragging about it. The fact that they have not come forward should be a warning flag to everyone in California," said Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. "The politicians seem to be building an edifice to themselves."
Lawmakers have also declined to answer questions about controversial add-ons reportedly funded with taxpayer money — including $5.2 million spent mining rocks in California, shipping them to Italy for finishing, and a secret hallway system designed to allow legislators to bypass the public while moving within the building.
Open records requests submitted by KCRA 3 for contracts, financial statements, and change orders have repeatedly gone unanswered, despite legal obligations under the Legislative Open Records Act.
Former Historic State Capitol Commission leader Dick Cowan, who resigned in protest and joined the lawsuit against the project, said the refusal to provide basic transparency is unacceptable.
"I'm disappointed to hear they aren't ready," Cowan said. "Certainly, they have the information somewhere. Secrecy, I'm afraid, becomes a habit."
Construction is still officially scheduled for completion in 2027, but without a confirmed price tag, critics warn Californians may be in for sticker shock when the final bill arrives.
Originally reported by Ashley Zavala in KCRA 3 News.
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