Governor Mary Fallin and State Finance Secretary Preston Doerflinger had a firsthand look at maintenance issues in the aging State Capitol building.

Fallin's pushing for lawmakers to approve funds to make needed renovations.

Pieces of limestone have been falling from the Capitol's facade for some time.

"It's embarassing to have barricades out front of the State Capitol when we have tourists come, or people who are coming here to conduct official business for our state," Fallin said.

Doerflinger said it makes no sense to keep paying for "band-aid" stop-gap measures.

"We've spent right at eight-point-eight million dollars on non-routine repairs since 2000," Doerflinger told reporters. "On top of the one-point-eight million we spend annually on operations, utilities, staff, etcetera, just to keep the building running."

A bill providing for a 200 (M) million dollar bond issue to fund Capitol renovations died in the House, last year.

(Above: The Oklahoma State Capitol.)

(Top: Governor Mary Fallin holds a piece of rusted pipe while talking to reporters Thursday in the basement of the State Capitol building.)