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State Government Oral History Program California State Archives State Government Oral History Program Oral History Interview with PAUL J. LUNARDI California State Assemblyman, 1958 - 1963 California State Senator, 1963 - 1966 Legislative Representative, California Wine Institute, 1966 - 1988 March 10, 11, 24, 30, and April 7, 1989 Roseville and Sacramento, California By Donald B. Seney Oral History Program Center for California Studies California State University, Sacramento RESTRICTIONS ON THIS INTERVIEW None. LITERARY RIGHTS AND QUOTATION This manuscript is hereby made available for research purposes only. No part of the manuscript may be quoted for publication without the written permission of the California State Archivist or Oral History Program, Center for California Studies, California State University, Sacramento. Requests for permission to quote for publication should be addressed to: California State Archives 1020 O Street, Room 130 Sacramento, CA 95814 or Oral History Program Center for California Studies California State University, Sacramento 6000 J Street Sacramento, CA 95819 The request should include identification of the specific passages and identification of the user. It is recommended that this oral history be cited as follows: Paul J. Lunardi, Oral History Interview, Conducted 1989 by Donald B. Seney, Oral History Program, California State University, Sacramento, for the California State Archives State Government Oral History Program. Information (91(i) -145-4293 California Stale Archives March Fong Eu Dncunu'iil Restoration (9](i) 445-4293 1020 O Street, Room ISO Exliil)it Hall (916) 445-0748 Secretary of State Legislative Bill Service (910)445-2832 Sacramento, CA 95814 (prior )ears) PREFACE On September 25, 1985, Governor George Deukmejian signed into law A.B. 2104 (Chapter 965 of the Statutes of 1985). This legislation established, under the administration of the California State Archives, a State Government Oral History Program "to provide through the use of oral history a continuing documentation of state policy development as reflected in California's legislative and executive history." The following interview is one of a series of oral histories undertaken for inclusion in the state program. These interviews offer insights into the actual workings of both the legislative and executive processes and policy mechanisms. They also offer an increased understanding of the men and women who create legislation and implement state policy. Further, they provide an overview of issue development in California state government and of how both the legislative and executive branches of government deal with issues and problems facing the state. Interviewees are chosen primarily on the basis of their contributions to and influence on the policy process of the state of California. They include members of the legislative and executive branches of the state government as well as legislative staff, advocates, members of the media, and other people who played significant roles in specific issue areas of major and continuing importance to California. By authorizing the California State Archives to work cooperatively with oral history units at California colleges and universities to conduct interviews, this program is structured to take advantage of the resources and expertise in oral history available through California's several institutionally based programs. Participating as cooperating institutions in the State Government Oral History Program are: Oral History Program History Department California State University, Fullerton Oral History Program Center for California Studies State University, Sacramento Oral History Program Claremont Graduate School Regional Oral History Office The Bancroft Library University of California, Berkeley Oral History Program University of California, Los Angeles The establishment of the California State Archives State Government Oral History Program marks one of the most significant commitments made by any state toward the preservation and documentation of its governmental history. It supplements the often fragmentary historical written record by adding an organized primary source, enriching the historical information available on given topics and allowing for more thorough historical analysis. As such, the program, through the preservation and publication of interviews such as the one which follows, will be of lasting value to current and future generations of scholars, citizens, and leaders. John F. Burns State Archivist July 27, 1988 This interview is printed on acid-free paper. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTERVIEW HISTORY i BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY ill SESSION 1, March 10, 1989 [Tape 1, Side A] 1 Lunardi's early life—Family influences— Education—Election to City Council—Role in construction of Roseville Hospital—Purchase of fire engines—Street lighting program—Removal of parking meters from city of Roseville. [Tape 1, side B] 22 Mayor of Roseville—Fight for public power in Roseville—Role of Clair Engle and Jim Carr in the public power fight—Bid rigging on new transformers—Bringing the city manager system to Roseville—First planning ordinance in Roseville—Street sign ordinance—First street lighting system—Unsuccessful 1956 campaign for the California Assembly—Named one of Five Outstanding Young Men in California for 1954 by the Junior Chamber of Commerce—Being asked to run for the Assembly in 1956—Immense size of Sixth Assembly District—Campaign costs for assembly elections. SESSION 5, April 7, 1989 [Tape 2, Side A] 44 1958 assembly campaign—Defeat of State Senator Randolph Collier—Vice Chairman, Assembly Water Committee—Speaker Ralph M. Brown's leadership style—Speaker Jesse Unruh's leadership style— Politicians as judges—City officials as legislators—The vital role played by the personal secretary—Lunardi's 1960 election— Political instincts—The difficulty of public speaking. SESSION 2, March 11, 1989 [Tape 3, Side A] 67 Arrival in Sacramento for the 1959 Legislative Session—Learning the rules and personalities of the assembly—Legislators' socializing— Interim hearings—The election of Ralph Brown as speaker—Carlos Bee—William A. Munnell— Characteristics of a good legislator— Differences between the legislature then and now—The role of the media—The Democratic Caucus in speaker elections—Jesse Unruh talks Carlos Bee out of running for speaker—How support for Gordon Winton against Jesse Unruh affected Lunardi's committee assignments. [Tape 3, Side B] 88 Selection as Vice Chairman of Water Committee, 1959 Session—The Water Committee and the California Water Plan—The Davis-Grunsky Act- -The Burns-Porter Act—Problems in the legislature today—The membership of the Water Committee--Education issues—The importance of the Burns-Porter Act—Protection of regional interests—^Committee service—The Fish and Game Committee—The Department of Water Resources—Division of Highways in Department of Public Works—The high quality of department personnel in California—Pay television controversy. [Tape 4, Side A] Ill Interim Committee Hearings—Boating regulation and licensing—Transportation service and issues—Bodie State Historic Park—1960 Olympics at Squaw Valley—Fairs and Allocation Committee—Assemblyman Norman S. Waters' close election in 1988—Speaker Willie Brown— Comparisons with Jesse Unruh as speaker—Jesse Unruh as a political liability to the Democrats —1963 state senate campaign—The importance of the committee system—The use of the consent calendar—Election laws and the elimination of cross-filing—Bills introduced and carried by Lunardi—Drivers' licenses classification legislation—Snow removal legislation— Relations between Republicans and Democrats. SESSION 3, March 24, 1989 [Tape 5, Side A] 135 Election of Jesse Unruh as speaker in 1961— Relations between Democrats and Republicans— Jesse Unruh's contributions to the legislature- -1963 lockup of the Republicans in the Assembly Chamber—Unruh's opposition to the Agricultural Assessment Amendment—The need to protect agricultural land from urban encroachment—The attitude of the California Farm Bureau—Paul Lunardi responsible for the Williamson Act— Lunardi's important contributions as a legislator. [Tape 5, Side B] 157 Establishment of the Yuba County Water Agency— The Camp Far West Project—The Placer County Water Agency—The Buy-America Act—The political system in California—Lunardi's accomplishments in the assembly: Truckee Shortcut, Kings Beach Road, education—Why Lunardi left the assembly and ran for the senate—Why Lunardi left the senate—The pressure of public office—Refuses a chance to run again for the senate—Edmund G. Brown, Sr., election and service as governor—Brown opposed to gambling at Lake Tahoe—Brown's relationship to the assembly and Jesse Unruh—The Caryl Chessman case. [Tape 6, Side A] 178 Caryl Chessman case and support for the death penalty—Brown's view of Ronald Reagan as an opponent—Lunardi's view of Reagan election— Richard Nixon survives 1962 defeat—University of California, Berkeley student riots and the effect on Governor Brown, Sr.—Situation handled by Governor Reagan—Governor Brown, Sr.'s relationship with the senate—Judicial appointments—Senate confirmations—Brown aides, Frank Mesple and Frank Chambers—Hale Champion, Director of Finance—The role of lobbyists in the legislature—Sources of campaign funds—Proposition 9 limitations— Committee service in the senate—The Senate Government Efficiency Committee—Lunardi carried mostly district bills. [Tape 7, Side A] 200 The Senate Government Efficiency Committee— Rumford Fair Housing Act—Senator Luther H. Gibson—The California
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