File under W for wet
Mary Palas, assistant to Victor Soltero, files the senator’s paperwork in the Senate’s third-floor hallway.

Two water leaks within days of each other has forced two lawmakers from their offices and prompted the Senate leadership to talk of tearing down Arizona’s legislative buildings and erect new ones.
The initial leak occurred during the weekend of Feb. 3-4, when a water pipe burst, flooding two offices on the third floor and slightly damaging the Senate president’s office, the Senate chamber on the second floor and a first floor hearing room.
A second leak occurred this week, causing water to drip into the gallery.
The damage prompted Senate President Tim Bee to question if it was time to a look at existing designs for new buildings.
“We had an additional leak,” Bee said Feb. 7. “It happened in the Senate gallery yesterday that is not associated with the leak we had before. So we are clearly having plumbing issues at this building.
“There’s going to be certain costs in keeping this building up and we’re going to have to fix those and maintain them because this is where we are and that is what we need to do at this point in time. But it’s probably time for us to start seriously looking at, long term, what’s going to be best the solution,” he said.
2 senators forced to relocate offices
The affected senators, Victor Soltero, D-29, and Richard Miranda, D-13, have both started to settle down in their temporary offices.
Soltero, Miranda and their staffs were assigned to conference rooms on the third floor. Miranda is also trying to make himself comfortable on the Senate floor, where has set up his phone and computer.
He makes calls in his huge “office” and meets constituents in the Senate lobby.
“I think the most difficult (adjustment) is that my assistant is situated on the floor above me and I’m mainly working here,” he said. He noted that anyone stuck in such a situation has to be flexible.
“(But) I think once we present it to the public why we need a new office building for the Senate, I think the public will understand that,” Miranda said.
Repairs could take 3 weeks
It might take three weeks before the duo could move back into their offices.
Hardest hit was Miranda’s, which had about an inch of water on Feb. 5, Capitol staffers said.
Lawmakers had to navigate their way through some parts of the wet floor, however, the electronic system in the Senate was not affected.
“There’s another air conditioning unit that developed a leak and began dripping in the gallery this morning,” Bee said on Feb. 6, noting a similar leak also severely damaged the basement last year.
“As we are trying to repair the damage from this water leak, we’re encountering… another safety hazard and potentially even mold in the building. So it’s something we have to seriously consider,” he said.
Sen. Robert Blendu, R-12, said the water leak might be the best case that could be made for tearing down the buildings that house the two chambers.
“It’s old, it’s dilapidated, and we’re pouring money down the rat hole,” Blendu said after learning of the first leak. A flood also severely damaged the basement two years ago.
Majority Leader Thayer Verschoor said the incident has made people start thinking a lot more about replacing the five-decades old building.
“I mean I’m not saying that anybody’s there yet, and I’m not saying that’s where I’m at. But I think people are starting to think that we got to do something because this could be very problematic and very expensive to have this kind of malfunction going on in the building often,” he said.
Those affected, Miranda and Soltero, couldn’t agree more.
Miranda lost some furniture to the leak, but his staff said his paintings and prints had been spared.
“I think it’s time we start talking about replacing this building,” Miranda told his colleagues during the Feb. 5 session.
The senator said he acknowledges worries about how such a move might be perceived by the public. But he pointed out that such incidents leave members of the Legislature unable to function.
Sen. Paula Aboud, D-28, said while at it, the body might also want to consider covered parking for legislators.
But Sen. Ron Gould, R-3, said he would definitely vote against a new Senate building.
“If government has outlived its current facilities, maybe we need to work on scaling down the size of government,” he said, drawing chuckles from the crowd.
The Senate and House of Representatives buildings were built in the 1960s. Bee said a cursory survey of the Senate’s water valves made on Feb. 5 showed they were rusting, ready to burst at any time.
When Blendu mentioned that designs for a new building exist, Bee said he would like to see them.
“I think President Bee has got it exactly right. We keep spending our money over and over on a building that is not worth it,” the Senate president pro-tempore said. “You know, most homeowners, contractors and other building owners would not be doing this. And I think it’s time for us to start that conversation.”
What needs to be done is bring in designers and contractors and have them take a look at the House and Senate buildings, Blendu said.
“I don’t know where the planning was in the beginning,” he said. “We are charged with building, preserving and passing on to future generations a government that is going to work for them, and think about what that future is going to be. I think it’s time for us to start thinking about it.”
“It’s pretty bad,” one Senate staffer described the damage. “There was about an inch of water in Miranda’s room.”
Bee was also concerned about the carpet on the chamber floor, which he said was custom made for the Senate.
“Basically what happened is that one of the valves rusted out and blew,” Bee said. “And so water ran down from the ceiling to the third floor, damaging pretty severely two of the senators’ offices and it came through the president’s office. There was minimal damage on the floor of the body, and there was some water leaking to the first floor.”
Senate Hearing Room 1 had to be closed as well.
“I’m going to take a look at the entire system on the ceiling and see what else needs to be done. It appears the equipment is original and the buildings were built in the 1960s,” Bee said.