Senators - Wait on making seating decision

When the Missouri Senate's $1.8 million renovation -- the first in many years -- was completed just prior to the January opening of this year's legislative session, reaction was generally favorable. The spruced-up chamber was a stark contrast to the dog-eared chamber of the previous session. Everyone was happy, except for most of the state's 34 senators.

The unhappiness was caused by a new arrangement for senators' desks, a configuration that was supposed to promote collegiality and improve every senator's view of the dais.

Unfortunately, a good plan isn't always better. The old plan clearly divided the seats between Republicans and Democrats. The old plan provided wide-aisle access to the well of the chamber. The old plan gave easy access to the rear seats reserved for the most senior senators.

So there was a lot of grumbling. And, on the last day of the session, a resolution was signed by 18 senators calling for restoring the chamber to its original seating plan. But a complete overhaul would cost nearly $150,000.

Twelve new senators will be elected this fall for sure, thanks to term limits, and the state's budget is stretched to its limit. Wouldn't it be best to let those new senators, who might not be so hide-bound by tradition, decide if it wants to spend all that money?