State Senator John Cauthorn, R-Mexico, this week bestowed a Golden Goose Egg on the state's Office of Administration (OA) for the agency's dogged, if not incomprehensible pursuit of an incredibly over-costly renovation of State Capitol restrooms at a time of budgetary constraints not seen since the last world war.

"The State of Missouri is hardly flush with cash," Cauthorn said. "We need every available dollar piped to vital programs and services, not sent down the drain on projects like this."

Renovating Statehouse restrooms stems from a Capitol-wide, multi-year restoration plan addressing several aspects of the 85-year-old seat of state government. Some $3 million was allocated out of a total rehab appropriation of $8 million to upgrade less than 20 serviceable, if not somewhat outdated, restrooms.

While ADA accessibility concerns were a part of the restroom plan, the bulk of the expense has gone directly to lavish materials, fixtures and furnishings more in line according to an exhaustive OA report replete with Latin quotations with what the original builders had envisioned. With several restrooms on the House side of the Capitol now in new resplendent glory to the tune of nearly $2 million, OA has moved to the Senate side of the Rotunda.

The phased Capitol overhaul package was approved by the General Assembly in 1999, long before Cauthorn began using the facilities on a regular basis.

"Look, the Capitol is a beautiful building and is deserving of upkeep and upgrades," Cauthorn said. "I also understand that the state's budget picture was a heck of a lot rosier a few years back. But that was then and this is now. Sure, let's address any accessibility issues. But beyond that, if they flush, leave 'em alone -- let's not plumb the depths of the taxpayers' patience any longer."

Chairman of the Senate's Government Accountability and Fiscal Oversight Committee, Cauthorn earlier this year launched the Golden Goose Egg Award after the actions of a former U.S. Senator who regularly handed out "Golden Fleece" awards to government agencies and entities executing less-than-capable fiscal policy.

Cauthorn noted that the Office of Administration holds the impressive distinction of winning the Golden Goose Egg two weeks in a row now. OA scored a decisive win last week for consistently displaying a near complete lack of managerial oversight of the state's ill-advised credit card-based purchasing program.

"Two for two would be a heck of a good start for a baseball team, assuming we're talking about wins," Cauthorn said. "Unfortunately, OA has posted a string of back-to-back losses and passed the bill on to Missouri taxpayers."