Whoever wins the presidency this fall is going to be surprised by the poor condition of the White House. New budget papers indicate that the West Wing is set for a $172 million renovation over the new president's first term. And we're not talking about prettying up historic rooms or buying fancy furniture. These renovations will be dirty and dusty: the replacement of air conditioning and heating systems, most wiring, and the fire and safety systems; and new fiber optic IT installations. Here's how bad it is: Since there's no spare HVAC system, the current one hasn't been shut down for testing and maintenance for years. Also, the wing's electrical wiring is about shot, warns the General Services Administration.
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