At a time when many Californians are grappling with rising costs of living and increased scrutiny over how public funds are used, a new Capitol building project in Sacramento is raising some serious eyebrows—and it’s not just about the budget.
Reports now reveal that the massive structure, which has ballooned in cost to $1.1 billion, will include private passageways designed to let lawmakers avoid the public and media.
And yes, that $1.1 billion is coming straight out of taxpayers’ pockets.
What the Capitol Annex Project Is Really About
This project, officially dubbed the Capitol Annex Project, was first introduced back in 2018 with a much more modest budget of about $543 million.
Fast forward to 2025, and the cost has more than doubled, sparking backlash across the state.
The new building is expected to house 120 lawmakers, plus California’s top brass like the governor and lieutenant governor—though current Governor Gavin Newsom won’t be sticking around long enough to move in.
The project’s completion is expected sometime in the second half of 2027.
Along with office space, the building will include committee hearing rooms, where some of the state’s biggest legislative decisions will be hashed out.
Secret Corridors Raise Transparency Concerns
But what’s really fanning the flames of controversy is the confirmation of hidden corridors in the design—essentially giving lawmakers a private route to escape press, public, and lobbyists after votes or hearings.
State Senator Mike McGuire, who serves as Senate Pro Tempore, acknowledged the corridors were always part of the plan.
He justified them by citing the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol as a reminder that lawmakers need better security.
“These secure passageways are meant to keep lawmakers safe, especially in today’s climate,” McGuire explained. “But they won’t change the fact that legislators will remain accessible.”
Still, critics aren’t convinced.
‘Hypocrisy at Its Finest,’ Say Critics
Assemblyman Josh Hoover didn’t hold back.
He slammed the idea of private corridors in a taxpayer-funded building as “the height of hypocrisy.”
“You’re using public money to build something that deliberately shields lawmakers from the public eye,” Hoover said. “That’s not how transparency should work.”
Currently, lawmakers use a “swing space,” which includes private elevator access but still requires them to walk through public hallways.
The new design would eliminate that shared space, making it far harder for journalists and citizens to approach their representatives spontaneously.
Lawsuits, Palm Trees, and a Whole Lot of Secrecy
The Capitol Annex Project has already weathered a legal storm.
Environmentalists, preservationists like Dick Cowan, and other opponents sued to halt the west side construction due to lack of public input, the removal of palm trees, and the building’s glass-heavy façade.
Although that lawsuit was recently settled—after the California Supreme Court allowed the project to bypass environmental laws—the secrecy hasn’t gone unnoticed.
Lawmakers had to sign non-disclosure agreements, keeping most details about the project under wraps.
Even Hoover admitted that he knows shockingly little about the building he may eventually work in.
How January 6 Changed the Budget—And the Narrative
Cowan and other critics say the extra security measures, including the hidden hallways, became a convenient budgetary justification following the January 6 Capitol attack.
That’s when lawmakers in D.C. were safely escorted through underground corridors during the chaos.
Shortly after, California project managers revealed that the annex was running 5% to 10% over budget, prompting former Joint Rules Committee Chairman Ken Cooley to push for an additional 10% increase—specifically for security features.
He later lost his Assembly seat to Hoover in 2022, and many wonder if his role in the annex controversy played a part.
“We don’t know for sure,” Cowan said, “but if they ended up spending an extra $100 million on those escape routes, it would add up.”
The West Side Mystery and Growing Frustration
While officials insist no construction is happening on the west side for now, Cowan remains skeptical—especially since the state could save around $100,000 by skipping that portion.
Some reports even suggest that part of the cost will fund a new visitor center and parking garage.
Hoover says what bothers him most is the lack of information.
“As someone who could work in that building, I think we deserve to know what’s going on—and so do the people paying for it,” he said.
What Happens Next?
For now, the Capitol Annex Project continues with limited public oversight, rising costs, and increasing concern over transparency and accountability.
Whether lawmakers will be truly “accessible” once those secret hallways are in place remains to be seen—but Californians aren’t likely to stop asking questions.
And with the price tag climbing past a billion dollars, those questions are only getting louder.