Gov. Butch Otter thinks expanding the Statehouse underground is a waste of money and of two state-owned buildings nearby.

Many Idahoans agree with him. Nearly 20 contacted the Statesman on Thursday expressing their opposition. Only a couple of people said they agreed with the Legislature.

Some, like Meridian resident Jim Allen, think the old Ada County Courthouse should be preserved for its historic value. Others, like Pam Demo of Boise, fear the underground wings would cost more than planned.

Lawmakers knew the project would be a tough sell with the public, but they decided to accept Senate Assistant Majority Leader Joe Stegner's view: The current Statehouse worked for 100 years, and whatever the Legislature does now should work for the next 100.

It took a long time to reach this point.

When the state agreed to buy the Ada courthouse in 1998, it was envisioned as a place for more state offices. But no plan was ever drafted.

Meanwhile, the newly formed Idaho Capitol Commission looked at the whole Capitol Mall and the need to renovate elevators, wiring and other infrastructure at the Statehouse.

In 2001, Gov. Dirk Kempthorne and the Legislature passed a plan to spend $64 million to restore the Statehouse to its 1920s glory. The economy dropped off, though, and the project was shelved with lawmakers' approval.

Officials continued looking at the Capitol Mall. Parking was scarce and by 2000, the state was leasing nearly 1 million square feet of office space in Ada County alone.

Kempthorne even considered buying Morrison Knudsen Plaza for $64 million. Lawmakers declined. They did agree to acquire the Borah Post Office building from the federal government for $1.

But lawmakers couldn't decide what to do with the old courthouse. They killed plans to tear it down. They killed plans to fix it up. They killed plans to keep the historic facade and expand it with a modern office space.

In 2005, Stegner advanced the debate with an idea no one expected: adding wings to the Statehouse. The U.S. Capitol did it 100 years ago, he said then. Why not Idaho?

Lawmakers were already being forced to leave the Statehouse to hold large, controversial hearings. Every day, smaller hearings flow into the hallways because the rooms aren't made for more than a handful of spectators. Most House members have offices in other buildings, and legislative staffers must share spaces throughout the Statehouse.

But when lawmakers asked for costs on underground wings, which Stegner and others have also seen in Texas, they were surprised. About 100,000 square feet of space would cost around $40 million. That was more than the $22 million estimated in 2005 to get 90,000 of usable square feet from a courthouse expansion. But it would keep legislative activities in one place and free the courthouse and the Borah building for other state agencies that now use rented offices.

Many in the public never bought the rationale. Otter didn't either, but he's giving the legislative leaders a chance to explain it all today.