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This file contains:
Statement by ElwoodWilson, Past President of the California Citizans Freeway Association. About Governor Brown's record on freeways. 4 pages. Duplicates not copied. [Memo], n.d.
To: James Lindsey, President of the California Citizens Freeway Association. From: Richard Nixon. Subject: Nixon's transportation premise. 3 pages. Duplicates not copied. [Letter], 10/20/1962
To: James T. Lindsey, President of the California Citizens Freeway Association. From: Edmund Brown, Governor of California. Subject: Brown answers questions put forth by Lindsey. 2 pages. Duplicates not copied. [Letter], 10/23/1962
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26128209
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WHSF: Returned, 66-3
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26128209
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WHSF: Returned, 66-3
description
This file contains:
Statement by ElwoodWilson, Past President of the California Citizans Freeway Association. About Governor Brown's record on freeways. 4 pages. Duplicates not copied. [Memo], n.d.
To: James Lindsey, President of the California Citizens Freeway Association. From: Richard Nixon. Subject: Nixon's transportation premise. 3 pages. Duplicates not copied. [Letter], 10/20/1962
To: James T. Lindsey, President of the California Citizens Freeway Association. From: Edmund Brown, Governor of California. Subject: Brown answers questions put forth by Lindsey. 2 pages. Duplicates not copied. [Letter], 10/23/1962
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Richard M. Nixon's Returned Materials Collection
Returned White House Special Files
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Richard Nixon Presidential Library
White House Special Files Collection
Folder List
Box Number Folder Number Document Date Document Type
Document Description
66
3
n.d.
Memo
Statement by ElwoodWilson, Past President
of the California Citizans Freeway
Association. About Governor Brown's record
on freeways. 4 pages. Duplicates not copied.
66
3
10/20/1962
Letter
To: James Lindsey, President of the
California Citizens Freeway Association.
From: Richard Nixon. Subject: Nixon's
transportation premise. 3 pages. Duplicates
not copied.
66
3
10/23/1962
Letter
To: James T. Lindsey, President of the
California Citizens Freeway Association.
From: Edmund Brown, Governor of
California. Subject: Brown answers questions
put forth by Lindsey. 2 pages. Duplicates not
copied.
Friday, September 07, 2007
Page 1 of 1
Statement by
RELEASE:
Mr. Elwood Wilson,
Past President,
California Citizens Freeway Association
"In a recent letter to The Citizens' Freeway Associa
Governor Brown claimed that his administration can take pri
in the way freeways have been located in the past four year.
He said:
'It is always easy to find the shortest, lowest-cost
route, but this is only the beginning point. I can't
think of a freeway which has been located during the
four years of my term without considering other
values such as economic benefits, the character of the
community, park and school influences, the number of
improvements taken, the number of families displaced,
historic structures or areas, if any, to be affected,
esthetic and other elements. There may be some such
short route in rural areas but, none come to mind in
built-up areas or recreational areas. 1
"This statement is clearly false. Brown's record proves it false
itizens of Chico, Monterey, Rincon, Tuolumne County, San
ancisco, Fremont and countless other communities, know that
Brown is not telling the truth.
- 2 -
"The fact is that Governor Brown has been completely
indifferent to the cries of citizens, cities, counties and
colleges who have been trampled on by the state's freeway
engineers.
"He says the situation is beyond his ability to control.
That I believe.
"But a governor who is willing to take the responsibility
can prevent freeways from destroying historic campuses like
Mills College; a decisive governor can strongly represent the
desires of all the people in demanding that local community plans
be honored and considered by the engineers, before land is
condemned and buildings are demolished.
"The record shows the governor's administration has not
given the problem of freeway location the kind of attention it
deserves. The following are a few of the flagrant cases that
have been placed before him. He has neglected to lift his
finger on behalf of any of those who petitioned him:
"1. Chico: Brown refused to help prevent a freeway
from plowing a wide swath through the center of a
fine, historic recreational park.
"2. Monterey: Instead of helping, Brown threatens to
take the 'state money' to another part of the
state if the local citizens don't stop protesting
- 3 -
"a huge freeway interchange (one of six in five
miles) called 'the can of worms' that would
eradicate a fine private school (attended by the
governor's daughter), a beautiful lagoon, and a
sizable segment of this historic city -- on a free-
way that runs out into the country and stops in the
middle of nowhere.
"3. Rincon: Brown washed his hands of a citizens'
plea to avoid a freeway location that would have
needlessly destroyed fine homes, in a location
opposed by the supervisors and planning commissioners
of two counties. The citizens won their fight, but
no thanks to the head-in-the-sand tactics of
Mr. Brown.
"4. Mills College: Thousands of Californians have been
dismayed to learn that a slice of this beautiful,
80 year old campus is to become a freeway. Trucks
will rumble within a few feet of Mills' music build-
ing. This needless waste of our educational re-
sources has been brought to Brown's attention
repeatedly, but he's still hoping the problem will
go away and leave him alone.
"And the same pattern of Brown indifference is seen in
freeway controversies in Sacramento, San Francisco and forty (40)
other places.
"Is it true that the governor's office is powerless to
help?
Location of freeways is up to the Highway Commission, but
it is everybody's business, including the governor's. The
Commissioners are governor-appointed. The governor should speak
up for the people in these cases. When Brown does not, he does
not serve the people.
- 4 -
"California's governor should seek legislation to
correct these abuses permanently. Brown will not; he has said
and proved that Democratic Senator Collier and the Highway
Commission are in full control as far as he is concerned. He
has silently permitted corrective legislation to be watered
down or killed in the past.
"California's governor must be vitally interested in
preventing further damage to the face of our state. The governor
can do much to make this a better place to live, to preserve
neighborhoods, schools, parks and natural beauty.
"An indifferent governor has done much to lose them in the
past four years.
"His false claims to the contrary will be disbelieved by
every citizen who looks about him."
##
COPY
CALIFORNIA CITIZENS FREEWAY ASSOCIATION
RICHARD NIXON
October 20, 1962
Mr. James T. Lindsey
President
California Citizens Freeway Association
Suite 302
Granada Building
Santa Barbara, California
Dear Mr. Lindsey:
It is a pleasure to give you my answers to
the four questions of interest to the members of the
California Citizens Freeway Association.
As you know, I have spoken in detail on
these questions on my telethons throughout the state
and in a major address, "The Face of California,"
which was broadcast on October 14. I would be de-
lighted to make the full text of this radio program
available to any of your members who may not be
familiar with its contents.
The basic premise of my transportation
program is that Californians deserve dynamic leader-
ship that will preserve and improve the natural and
man-made beauty of our state. One important reason
why over 1,000 people a day move to California is that
our state is a pleasant place to live. California state
government has the obligation to see that it remains SO.
The state must not be indifferent to the wishes
of our local communities when choosing locations and
designs of its freeways and other structures. The
Governor does not have to live with a state-built eye-
sore, but the local people do. Therefore, such factors
as the character of a community must be considered in
this far-reaching state program.
Now, in answer to your specific questions.
Question 1.
I believe, and have repeatedly stated,
that local people must have a greater
voice in all freeway issues that inti-
mately affect their lives.
To achieve this goal, I have outlined
six exact guidelines for government to
follow and five specific procedures on
freeway construction.
Question 2.
These are the six questions or guide-
lines that must be given greater con-
sideration in weighing the pros and
cons of a proposed freeway with regard
to both location and design:
(1) How will the freeway affect homes,
neighborhoods and communities?
(2) How will the freeway affect individual
property values, personal income,
and farm lands?
(3) How will the freeway affect the tax
revenue of local governments?
(4) How will the freeway affect the scenic
beauty of an area?
(5) How will the freeway affect existing
recreational areas and historic land-
marks?
(6) How will the freeway tie in with regional
and local comprehensive plans?
These are five procedures to insure that
local people get full and fair consideration:
1. Hearings at the locale of the proposed
project, after adequate notice, should
be conducted by an impartial examiner.
2. Hearings should be conducted with the
same regard for due process of law that
we have in our court rooms.
3. No rights-of-way should be condemned
until a highway project has received
final approval.
4. Threats of withdrawal of highway funds
or promises of extra highway expendi-
tures must not be used to solicit local
agreement for freeway routing.
5. No funds for any highway public rela-
tions activities other than purely informa-
tional programs should be authorized.
Question 3.
While I resist turning the Highway Com-
mission into a political football, and favor
keeping the Commission removed from
partisan politics, I believe that the Legis-
lature can responsibly examine its opera-
tions and make appropriate recommendations.
Question 4.
As Governor, I will carefully consider any
legislative proposal regarding our freeway
system and will take whatever action I feel
is necessary, in the best interests of
the people of California and within my
constitutional authority, to implement
the policy I have set forth in Question 2.
In conclusion, let me assure all your mem-
bers that as Governor I look forward to four years of
mutual respect and cooperation with the California
Citizens Freeway Association.
Sincerely,
Richard Nixon
S
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0
0
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
P
P
Governor's Office
Y
Y
Sacramento
October 23, 1962
Mr. James T. Lindsey, President
California Citizens Freeway Association
Suite 302
Granada Building
Santa Barbara, California
Dear Mr. Lindsey:
I am happy to have your recent letter asking me to answer four
questions.
May I say at the outset that through our current hearing procedures
we try hard to draw the public in our freeway planning process, and
I appreciate the interest of your group in the total highway program.
Here are the questions you asked and my answers:
1. Question: Are you willing to allow to the local
authorities more voice in disputed freeway designs
and locations?
Answer: Certainly I am, if an orderly process could
be adopted on a Statewide basis. To make such a revi-
sion in procedure workable, we would require the
support and concurrence of the League of California
Cities and the County Supervisors' Association. My
Public Works people have been working with these
Associations for many months on possible constructive
improvements in the Federal-State-local partnership
here in California. If any such changes required
revision in the law, of course the Legislature would
have to make that decision.
2.
Question: Do you recognize that there are other com-
munity values to be considered besides distances,
speed and lowest cost?
Answer: Of course I do. It is always easy to find
the shortest, lowest-cost route, but this is only the
beginning point. I can't think of a freeway which has
been located during the four years of my term without
considering other values such as economic benefits,
the character of the community, park and school influ-
ences, the number of improvements taken, the number of
families displaced, historic structures or areas, if
any, to be affected, esthetics and other elements.
There may be some such short routes in rural areas but,
none come to mind in built-up areas or recreational
areas.
- More -
California Citizens Freeway Association
- 2 -
3. Question: If reelected, would you urge the legislature
to examine the operation of the Highway Commission in
fixing freeway locations and designs?
Answer: As you probably know, I did this last April
in a letter to both Houses of the Legislature, which
was released to the press. You know that the Legis-
lature now has continuing committees on transporta-
tion and highways, and this is one of their continuing
responsibilities.
4.
Question: If such investigation showed basis for com-
plaints made against the Highway Commission, would you
urge remedial legislation?
Answer: Yes.
Sincerely,
/S/ Edmund G. Brown
EDMUND G. BROWN, Governor
Via Air Mail
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Y