The purpose of the legislation will be to increase the proportion of floor space available for the overall purpose of the buildings by decreasing the share of each building's footprint used for stairways. A gain of approximately sixteen percent usable space is anticipated by consulting architects.
All 73 Republican legislators supported the bill, while none of the 28 Democrats approved.
Opponents of the legislation pointed out that children, elderly persons and women would find it more difficult to ascend the steeper stairs, but that argument was rejected by the legislators. Also opposed were a preponderance of physicians and surgeons in the only public polling preceding the vote.
Rep. Irmgard Straetshuter, (D, Lampson), said in an interview with this newspaper that "at only 5'2" I have trouble with most stairs in the existing state offices. The legislation from about fifteen years ago under the Democrats had made a huge difference for citizens, as most of the offices where things actually get done are on upper levels. It seems to me we're either moving backwards, or", she quipped, "upward with great difficulty."
Speaking for the majority, Rep. Haverford Tondeff, (R, Umberton), said that the only real goals for government should be saving money and lowering taxes, adding "the only thing we should be focusing on is those sixteen percent larger floors, and believe you me, there won't be no gol-darned potted plants in there neither!"
"Besides, he continued, "it ain't our fault that women and kids are just natcherly (audible transcription) small and that old people shrink. We can't fix everyone's problems for them.
"The state will save money another way, too. Since fewer people will make the effort to climb the stairs, there will be fewer demands for free stuff like schools, roads, etc. We expect this change to be a major step into a golden age for our state," he concluded.
Governor Mort Shmertin is expected to sign the bill, which was a key element of his recent election campaign that focused on waste, fraud and abuse. During the campaign the governor was insistent that the 47 years of one-party government had not been a contributing factor, but that outside liberal influences had caused the state to spend too much on wasteful, fraudulent and abusive purchases.
Asked about the straight party line vote, Shmertin replied, "it just goes to show that our team cares about what really matters, namely saving money, cutting taxes and eliminating waste, fraud and abuse, which is the new policy I'm announcing for the first time today."
Comment below; tell us whether this story is
(a) most likely true
(b) possibly true
(c) no opinion
(d) probably not true
(e) certainly not true, because no political party could ever be that stupid
(R) none of the above, or do not understand the question
Film at 11.
