Musk says $2.5 billion Fed building expansion should be subject to scrutiny

As he exits his efforts to curtail wasteful authorities spending, Elon Musk is taking one final shot, calling into query the $2.5 billion Federal Reserve constructing renovation.

In a uncommon interview with print reporters, the initiator of the Division of Authorities Effectivity advisory board stated the worth tag for the central financial institution operation “sounds excessive.”

“I imply, what do you get for $2.5 billion in redecorating? Should be unimaginable,” the Tesla CEO stated.

The Fed started the venture in 2021 with an preliminary price ticket of $1.9 billion. Since then, a number of components have converged to drive up prices, together with rising prices of supplies, development delays, adjustments within the design and website issues.

Among the many targets for the renovation are coping with a backlog of upgrades, assembly constructing codes and rules, updating expertise, and addressing power effectivity. Fed officers say the adjustments in the end will lower your expenses by consolidating workers into one house, which is able to scale back leasing prices, “and supply a contemporary, environment friendly workspace for workers to conduct their work on behalf of the American individuals.”

Musk, although, stated the associated fee overruns must be a part of the broader examination of presidency waste. DOGE claims to have saved taxpayers $160 billion throughout its quick working life wanting by way of the federal government’s books.

“Since, on the finish of the day, that is all taxpayer cash, I feel … we must always actually look to see if certainly the Federal Reserve is spending $2.5 billion on their inside designer,” Musk stated. “That is an eyebrow-raiser, ? They’re like, can we see photos of what you get for that?”

The Fed shouldn’t be truly funded by taxpayers however moderately by the curiosity the central banks earns on its securities in addition to charges from banks it supervises. Members of the Fed board of governors have their salaries set by Congress and likewise are paid by way of the identical funding mechanism.

Usually, the cash the Fed earns past its working prices are paid again to the Treasury. Nonetheless, the previous two years the central financial institution has seen working losses because of rising rates of interest that it should pay on financial institution reserves.

As for the renovation, paperwork filed with the Nationwide Capital Planning Fee word that, “Whereas there have been common modifications and renovations to the constructing over its 80-year historical past, most of the constructing techniques are on the finish of their helpful life, and the constructing not totally serves the Board’s wants.”

Fed officers declined remark.