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At this time your city station brings you the press conference earlier today at City Hall by Mayor John B. Lindsay the conference was recorded for broadcast at this time as a public service by our city station. This evening begins the celebration of Passover that's over which comes in the spring of each year is a holiday of hope and of joy for it marks the deliverance of Jewish people from bondage in Egypt it's a tale of people determined to be free who were willing to endure privation and hardships in their long journey to the promised land and there is of course an analogy in our own time today the people of Israel are also willing to endure privation and hardship in order to be free in the nation they have built freedom is at the heart of the Passover holiday indeed it was history's first holiday celebration of freedom I'm therefore happy to wish all New Yorkers a joyous Passover week. This morning I've talked on the telephone with Mr Tom Short men the president of the local study to be building service employees and with Mr Edward Sulzberger represents the management groups and I can report that they are now again meeting at this moment and they I'm advised that the. Discussions are constructive. The parties are reasonably optimistic that they will have a favorable report to give me and of the public a little bit later today. I want to caution I want to caution however that that some experience of these things that never are never completed or resolved until they actually are resolved and and it's done with so. You know. I have one other now spent and that is headed a very strong encouragement to everyone New Yorkers and commuters please not drive cars into the city on Wednesday April twenty two this coming Wednesday day after tomorrow unless absolutely necessary. That will be the day when we will be celebrating Earth Day in New York City and the portions of our city will be closed down to automobile traffic and the gasoline engine New Yorkers and commuters can help and can cooperate and can join in an expression against pollution and against the desperation of the environment by avoiding the gasoline engine and automobiles on Wednesday. This gives me an opportunity also to think the Environmental Action Coalition and many private organizations and groups throughout the city for their cooperation and also to thank the press for bringing the message to the people on the program that is planned for Earth Day. We hope very much that it won't be just a one day thing but it will mark the beginning of a very important and serious commitment to the improvement of the environment in which we live here today. I'll spend. The day traveling throughout the city. Walk down the thoroughfares that have been closed to traffic I have some speeches to make here in their. Place by subway or electric car. I've been to Pratt Institute for a rally in the morning and then I'll be in Fifth Avenue and fourteenth Street in the middle of the day be in Queens and far as tails in the afternoon and I'll be talking at Union Square also. Governor Rockefeller announced his new so-called super agency for conservation and environmental protection bringing all the various agencies under one head congressman and you're branded the program a fraud said it was the same old anti conservationist were on it what is your own view. Why really haven't had a chance to examine it carefully. I'm sure that the structure of it by means of reorganization is sound. Because as we well know you've been. The area of environment you can't push one button without a bunch of buttons going up some somewheres else it's all interrelated we found that out some years ago and that's why the Environmental Protection Administration was created as to persons that are staffing it I have no knowledge about that this is a right to have a religious matter the banning of gasoline in one day. Is really. Something that. Threw me. That I think it has meaning I think it said if it works well and be a demonstration that that you can elect these things and that perhaps we can get along equally well I without so many automobiles which I want other prime causes of pollution when we announced that working with environmental groups in the city that fourteenth Street and Fifth Avenue were being closed down for example there was immediate resistance to it some of the merchants are upset about it there was a negative editorial comment and some of the press and so it went but now it's begin to change and perhaps we penetrate it if we can come out of this with people feeling that they can do something about the environment I think it will be a step forward this is all right it's not the real possibility that the. Right cars could be. Pretty. Well you approach the saying that carefully and step by step and you do it on the basis of public education very difficult to do things all at once. You know all the we've tried to shrink down congestion of automobiles and various portions of the central business district by very. Banning parking so that there bus lanes that are occupied only by the buses and we've done that step by step Avenue by Avenue some of the meters have been carefully removed work. Being with merchants and other groups in the process. And as you have as you begin to shrink down a little bit why you test as you go you know it's really just any pollution fight as many students seem to regard it as a case of the people against the industry of the city against so-called establishment. Doesn't necessarily have to be. Since much of the discussion for example on one way bottles and cans the problem that we have of getting cooperation from industry to take back their bottles and cans we've been I've received many letters from manufacturers in the industry offering cooperation suggesting that technicians come in and work with us. And I think that's probably the best way to go about it not saying that ultimately the national government and perhaps other levels of government will have to approach this thing with both carrot and stick both incentives to the private sector and also some from laws Mr Mayor here where. The fiscal package that you want from the governor and legislature here is presages a new arms which we govern Iraq your economy. Well then those discussions in Albany and since and have been entirely on the merits of the program itself we've there been no political discussions and no no personality discussions it's been entirely on the merits and. I am and arrested and and doing whatever I can at all times to assist a million people of our city. Where a closer working relationship. But I think we always have good working relationships. The governor and his staff and the leadership in Albany approach the problem of the big six and New York City. And those conferences we had in Albany. Actively and aggressively and well and I think that they results that where. We were helpful to the city and therefore I think helpful to the state of New York. Because. Dollars in this whole. Would Be term about what. Little. You think I'll own or yours or. Why you're getting now into a political discussion which had no. Did not occur in Albany and has no has no basis and this fiscal program that we're talking about we're talking about budgets and something important for the future may have sent pacifically in the past and you would be inclined to support candidates who fight for New York City as a result of the several millions more that the governor seems to be disposed to help New York City get do you think he meets that criteria well that I'd have to answer you this way that my job is to look after the interests of a million New Yorkers and we are in arrested obviously New York City is interested. In receiving as much deserved attention as we possibly can to advance the interests of eight million New Yorkers and. I do think that the legislative program which is has not yet passed Albany it's still and the legislative battle up there is not yet finished we hope it'll be finished before the day is out we think is will be of assistance to us. The governor is giving the city that deserves attention. We think that that. A program that was worked out with the governor and with the legislative leadership in Albany on both sides of the aisle helps New York City and the other cities of our state that helps the Big Six going to take a step forward. For mayor had he that he or. Nevertheless. Again you're getting in the area of politics and personality and a partisan campaign which is looming and that's that's not what this discussion in Albany and what the results are all about zero zero. Zero. New ground. It is again this is a that's that's that's not what it was all about but just to make your point on all the interest and make your life. Well first of all when we get in the political system I hope. Your question will be more appropriate bird but seriously seriously. The needs of eight million New Yorkers are very complicated needs and. We have we're always struggling and fighting for that kind of attention and the kind of shift in priorities we think is desperately needed by our city and the other cities are a little bit. Like a war against me. And I'll go. Oh here right. Now. They're back there. As mayor how would you explain the fact that you were able to get assistance from Governor Rockefeller during the election year that you've been unable to get up and. Well that's happened before the first major revenue program that we had in the city biggest one of many years also happen during election year. Four and a half years ago when everybody was running for reelection the governor and the entire state legislature. Maybe it has something to do with responsiveness to the needs of the city which is reflected through the polls ence Incidentally I do want to say that a lot of the results in Albany were very helpful and is a big step forward that. This is still a very strenuous budget. We're required to submit it to the Board of Estimate city council on May fifteenth and it's still not going to be an easy budget to submit and a lot there is a good deal of talk about that this is a very large revenue program very helpful to the city which it is nevertheless when you hear the screams of pain and anguish come from all kinds of organizations and groups and and city services when the budget is submitted you realize that it still is a very very tight budget that will give us a great many problems. And soon if you are mayor with a good half million New Yorkers and you also concerned about introducing legalized gambling to New York City you know I think it's a step forward to have off track betting I think it. Will not only generate some revenue that we desperately need but I also think that it will be a blow to organized crime the budget agreements are you indicated you were prepared to cut I believe a figure of one hundred sixty million dollars from the present budget will that affect any essential services. That would be a squeeze all around. Firing. Well you know there's all these things are relative as I said some time ago of a. We were afraid for a period of time that we would have palest paydays and for laws in respect of existing personnel which are up to very very high levels places higher than higher than ever in its history sanitation is the highest in its history so fire I can report that we do not see painless pay days ahead. Or for laws of this kind but we do see a very strenuous budget nonetheless from here on the question part of what is happening to the cities here and against our contacts with the campaign or the farm workers. The chief structure that we've been using on the on the a total approach whether it be law enforcement or rehabilitation has been the newly created mayor's Council. A narcotic and I'm taking over the chairmanship of that and will presided all its meetings. The next meeting is on Thursday has met effect of this week and I will preside at that meeting myself. Before I. See that yes I had to guess. No not at this time just American Tell us what is being done to reopen George Washington High School and how soon back to see you know. They have as you know this has been an kind of a mediation past year. Mr Sayid or kill reported to me this morning. About the meetings that took place in automation House on that subject I've also received reports from my own staff. It's very tender and very difficult. But they must kill reports that the. Mediation discussions that went on with the young people and with various others were not quite as bad as was reflected in the reports. But at the moment it's very difficult for me to be optimistic whatever whatever settlement is made sir between the apartment house employees and the landlords are you convinced that some sort of a rent increases and I. Well I think that's the wrong way to approach it. We are committed to submitting to the city council a very important reorganization of the rent control structure prior to June one and that we intend to do that perhaps we will that in fact just pursue this one when that decision on possible run increase be affected by because the engine is currently going on. Well there is a pass along feature we announced last week that they. That. Any legislation should appropriately have a past long feature I can respect of and respect of the cost of the collective bargaining agreement I'm trying to determine when all these thousands of residents who are waiting to hear the settlement can assume that there will be an end run increase growing out of the dossier. Well again and I can only answer that by repeating what I said a moment ago that they that they law will provide a pass along feature so that whatever the results of the collective bargaining agreement when it's finally concluded. Ultimately be passed along the tenets as you're here you're back. To your cars and you say to the person you got wrecked He's in our cars. What exactly that. All well at the council meeting this week a council against narcotics We'll have reports from the various subcommittees law enforcement police. Reports in respect of the status of the new cities federal task force on narcotics. The reports on the method on experiments being conducted in several parts of the city D.A.'s a Phoenix House program will be discussed there be reports as to where we stand on teacher education in the schools and based on the based on those reports. We'll make additional decisions about directions in which we ought to move more vigorously you see companies following the lead of other companies are moving out of Pennsylvania office after. March and cerned about the fact that these additional taxes you're asking for going to drive more business more private individuals out of the city of New York well that Pepsi move is a very old one that that happened some years ago and now he's taxation here in New York City market more with our economists on. Others have examined the impact of the revenue program that is under discussion in Albany right now and we do not believe it will have a deleterious impact. Same thing. Sounds like yet he said he. Hasn't been an extremist you know but he well they've all of their projections. I mean each ship each the revenue program is largely tax sharing as you know twenty one percent sharing of the personal income tax by the state the other measures that are the so-called nuisance taxes. Range from automobiles to various other things many state collected. And because you know those things are best handled at the source and. I couldn't give you a dollar impact per citizen of this moment America of course when the Netherlands Protective Association out today that under the new off track betting legislation they would not raise their horses because there's nothing in them does this suggest to you the city is going to have to get into an area like this. Well I was more interested in the you have statement that was made by Mr John Haynes has been kind of the senior man and his whole area of horses and that uses. At the tracks in New York and he has been making very positive noises on this subject. Made it clear that he thought that the industry was facing something that was coming that. It was about time the right way to move. And they are saying if you will of the room and those you know they. Are Still frugal but legislators he said he is. Listening. You know we're never out of the woods and. We we face I had of us. Terrible pressures of more collective bargaining and the reason that we get into so much trouble is because of the cost of people. And that those pressures never stop I said that the budget that we will be submitting is going to be a very tight budget you're already hearing rumblings from this area this area and other areas of various services that the city provided is not enough manpower and you hear more of that and we're under sufficient strain so that. Those pressures are going to get worse. Next year the worst year. Well each year is a tough one. But I do think that if they if the economy holds up that the first impact of revenue sharing by state is important and that gives us for the first time some flexibility other than our own income a commuter tax arrangement which has an elastic measure in it but its return is sufficiently small that it doesn't cover our problem so it depends on on how that works out it may depend also on the. How up. Off track betting works or worked more. Cold War for. Oil. What how we handle that was by exchange of letters with the leadership of the city council and myself. The ultimate legislative program that goes before the city council would be an omnibus bill that will cover everything. Yes including that they are in line with the kind of the measures you say you see balanced the budget if you have any intention of doing away with the Post your deputy may be filled by more than. You know. You don't intend I ask whose resignation. You know we test it with I told you some time ago in answer to a question. That I had had a chance to talk with Bob Morgan saw on the obvious problem that is created by the fact that he's campaigning on a full time basis and. And we have had discussions since then and possibly have want to report on that at a later time. Thank you very much. You have been listening to the press conference given earlier today at City Hall by Mayor John B. Lindsay and was recorded for broadcast at this time as a public service.