Ronald Reagan statue for state Capitol moves step closer to reality

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A Republican standard-bearer was praised in numerous speeches Tuesday but it wasn’t at the GOP convention in Tampa, Fla.

State senators in Sacramento spent time lauding the accomplishments of former President Ronald Reagan as part of a campaign to have a statue commemorating him erected at the state Capitol.

In the end, the Senate voted 31-0 to support a bill allowing a Reagan statue to be placed in the Capitol annex with the cost to be covered by a private foundation. SB 2358 was previously approved by the Assembly but goes back there now for action on some changes.

Republican lawmakers said it was long overdue to honor the only California governor to become president. He also was an actor and headed a union during his long career.

‘President Reagan is an American icon who excelled at a wide variety of endeavors,’ said Senate Republican leader Bob Huff of Diamond Bar.

Reagan even drew praise from Democrats, including Sen. Loni Hancock of Berkeley, who noted that Reagan supported tax increases while he was governor, a taboo for most of today’s Republicans.

‘That was a voice of reason for another era,’ Hancock said.

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-- Patrick McGreevy in Sacramento