Another great story today by the Associated Press' Jay Root on the six-figure renovations for the state House lounge at the Capitol building (via the Star-Telegram):

AUSTIN — State officials defended a high-ticket renovation of the members-only lounge in the Texas House of Representatives on Monday, saying the $140,000 project was needed to spruce up the dingy, run-down room.

"We had plumbing problems here, the place was dirty. We had members who didn’t come in here," said Rep. Tony Goolsby, R-Dallas, chairman of the House Administration Committee. "We have a place that we’re all proud of."

The story also says that the House has its own version of "keeping up with the Joneses":

House officials have said they needed to upgrade the lounge to keep it on par with the Senate cloak room.

Hey, House members - if the Senate jumped off a bridge, would you do it, too? (If only.)

The custom wood cabinets and granite countertops cost $61,200; a Scotsman Touchfree air-cooled flake ice maker cost $3,425 and two antique chandeliers were $14,500 apiece.

And don't forget -- by rule, the House lounge is technically considered part of the House floor. Two of those biometric thumbprint-reading voting doohickeys are slated to be installed in the lounge so members can vote there without having to go back to their desks to punch buttons.

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