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Report from Mayor's Conference Hawaii

Mayor John V. Lindsay works on his speech to New Yorkers on his new tax proposals in New York City, March 3, 1966.

John Lindsay reports from the Mayor's Conference in Hawaii. He discusses the relationship between Federal Government and Municipal Governments and the relationships between suburbs and inner cities. He goes through a proposed amendment to the 'Safe Streets and Crime' bill languishing in Congress at the time. He also discusses three new members of the State Board of Higher Education and some other items occurring in his absence.

John Lindsay reports over radio-telephone from the Mayor's Conference in Hawaii. The resolution committee, of which Lindsay is a member, has been the only meeting thus far. It is the agenda setting committee, however. The meeting stressed the relationship between the Federal Government and Municipal Governments and the relationships between suburbs and inner cities. Many cities have a commuter tax, including New York City.
He discusses the "model cities" programs. He discusses a crime control bill ("Safe Streets and Crime") going through Congress at the time. He proposed an amendment in the interest of getting it passed. He goes in depth on that proposal, placing greater emphasis on cities rather than states (who would have received the federal funds), praising police commissioner Howard Leary.
He discusses involving private enterprise in building low-income housing through tax abatement and other means.

Lindsay breaks from speaking about the mayor's conference to mention naming 3 people to the State Board of Higher Education, James O. Lee, Herbert Berman, and Dr. George Brown (a reappointment).

He discusses visitors to the United Nations who are meeting concerning the Middle East and especially Israel.

He discusses problems with waste removal, and then NYC's Summer Programs (for youths).

Audio courtesy of the NYC Municipal Archives WNYC Collection

WNYC archives id: 92391
Municipal archives id: T2633

This is a machine-generated transcript. Text is unformatted and may contain errors.
But evening this is Mayor John Lindsay talking long distance over the radio telephone on a little over. At the conference of mayors of the United States. It seems they have a longest they broadcasting to New York City from there. That's better than a give me a chance tell you a little bit about what's going on with the United States Conference of Mayors a very interesting group in these parts of all it's a pleasure to be here in the fiftieth state weather has been clear and warm up for the round ninety degrees at the noon time period during the daytime. Then the clear was no rain so far. There about that the mayor is here from around the United States and the collection of there's also from the Far East and some from other parts of the world also were observing this conference was taking place and they have a little downtown area. And I've been one of the there were Hilton Hotels. Many of the mayors have their families here and wives children are taking every holiday very and my children are here with me also and I'm pleased that when I come back at the end of the conference at the art they're going to stay on a bit for. A little holiday to make the trip worthwhile so they can see some of the other I was I regret that I won't be able to see the other islands other than the Island of a lot where Honolulu is located. But I want to get back to the city and I think that to get back. Out what's going on at the United States Conference of Mayors. Have a resolution a committee as then the first order of business and the only order of business so far and that's almost the most important because they frame the discussion for the rest of the conference. I'm a member of the Resolutions Committee and on Saturday yesterday we met all afternoon long kind of see whether we could reach agreement. On. A resolution that we would present to the folk on friends they whether we could get support for them. In front of one of the Abdul largely with relationships between the federal government and cities all of the mayors are in agreement that their problems are a common one. They center around the cost of running a big miniscule government of the services that are provided for the whole region and shortages of funds always to fund those services and to provide those services for the entire region I think every mayor from the web or the south. Has the same problem in this regard many of them have problems of and they have they opened their voice some of of extending services to. Relatively wealthy suburban communities around the core city areas. And yet perceived little or no support from those areas. Many of the mayor's mother said he's a hard pressed a. On the subject of the regional ride or that we receive from our commuters with that controversial yet important of the commuter taxes commuters now pay to the city of New York that seems to be a growing thing in other cities also and the numbers that is allowing their plans in the same kind of program. Generally speaking on federal study are like one of the first resolutions of the resolution committees adopt this will send to the conference there. And to do with national priorities the resolution concluded with these words here out the therefore results of the president in the Congress openly and clearly declare their unequivocal commitment to meet the problems of the cities with the same degree of involvement and dedication which our nation now gives the war in Vietnam that the president and Congress for the declared problems of the cities have a number one priority in the allocation of federal resources for domestic programs. That the tone I think of the conference. Right at the beginning and that was regarded as. A relatively important resolution. One of the other resolutions of importance of New York City is the one that pertains to the model cities and in general that this resolution which passed the resolution committee is strong approval to the full request for supplemental grants and has called nine hundred sixty eight for the second generation of the model Cities Program other words. The Congress to go forward with this program and to build on it rather than to retreat on it as you know the Congress has funded this to a modest extent for the planning fund and the arc that has application has been pending and the federal debt in the National Department of Housing and Urban Development for a period of months all of those applications by various cities I think process very time. We had considerable discussion over one brand board and resolution and that has to do with the great faith in crime control bill a street crime control bill as it's now called which is ending in the United States Congress of the present time I offered to substitute resolution for the one that had been originally drafted and the substitute that I offered was carried by the resolution committee reason that I thought that the substance was important as because they bill that is standing in the Congress with many cities putting our own our interests it is having rather let it be. They will provide for a small amount of planning money for police find work and the side streets work and that is to be followed by the second and third years by a higher level of funding. Brandan aid fund for cities. This is capital money not operating money out to two point one in the House Judiciary Committee. As Ames they. Call it and that's where we got threatening they act as a street crime control bill by cutting off funds for the second and third years placing protecting modest amounts of money to planning money only and then even worse than that. A mandatory provision that would funnel all such federal funds through the state better than directly to large cities. This would be a disaster and the resolution that I offered by way of up to that does two things one it urges the Congress to fund for the first year as a say street crime control bill to the extent of one hundred million dollars And in the second year as three hundred million dollars for operating programs. Thank you by the Bell the resolution that I offered here. In substance for the one this was planned. Just that flexibility they retain in the legislation in order to make it possible for the federal government to fund these funds directly to the cities where as the cities have is largely as a police force. That's a resolution carried unanimously. And it's important to have. Was I think clear to everyone. Now state including our own great state which is an urban mine does that. Provide any money for police services in the big cities I say don't they there may be some exceptions to that but they are state does not yeah York City upon totally our whole department of twenty eight thousand men. I'd like. To state really don't know much about police science and crime control find New York City we're doing all kinds of exciting things by way of innovation and change in our police department our community come all kinds of come wreck in the in the in the communities educate people about what the police department does. Good community relations techniques experimental work on equipment on communications equipment. Who vehicles those guilders five million dollars being invested on a new central communications headquarters. I'm still recruitment techniques that are being brought about some of them very experimental and they are there are place commissioner is doing some remarkable things. The state of New York is not involved in this kind of thing and their knowledge of police science and time controls science is very limited. So the mayor as you know honestly felt that if these funds were to be channeled through the state there's a great danger that it would go in there and the state trooper and Highway Safety Matters which is not the name of the game the importance of this bill here pending in the Congress is for cities and the pressure in the Barents. Some other matters of of importance that came up in the conference here fund was a resolution also which was offered by me. That would endorse a seriousness of it had been made in the National Congress of the House of Representatives and in the Senate to encourage. Private enterprise to become more heavily involved in the entire field of housing and rehabilitation work particularly in some areas and in areas that are in the Terry race in these cities. And. It was important that the mayor has a I think as they say they're very concerned about this and the have and. Ask them resolution which would. Which would endorse in principle the need to encourage the private sector. By means of that the basement and other devices is necessary to invest in the ghetto communities of these big cities all of which have this continuing problem of the terrier. Another resolution which I offered to. Lend wrong part of what is known as the rent supplement legislation which has been pending in the Congress that also passed a resolution that is unanimously. That that that national legislation that. Is in trouble in the house was defeated in the House Appropriations was that the Senate is still fighting for the U.S. Conference of Mayors I hope go on record in favor of a tense a subject now that. Then it says. From Honolulu but through my office is that a hall I announced the appointment of three members. Of the Board of Education and this I was pleased to do very important. To the Board of Education and long needed that the Board of Higher Education that this is not the this is not the Board of Education that involves primary and secondary schools but this is at the university level the Board of Higher Education but the ball got to James A lady from Brooklyn Presently the director of program planning and the division of Christian life and mission of the National Council of Churches a graduate of Lincoln University Divinity School and Union Theological Seminary where he received his doctorate and he is the ology is a consultant and race relations in several countries including Rhodesia Zambia Kenya Canada and Great Britain is a brand new apartment and we wish him well. Herbert Berman of Queens lawyer. Graduate of N.Y.U. and of Harvard Law School member of the White House Conference on foreign aid and also a member of the White House conference the aging. Member the board of directors. Of Crown Heights. And so he's really got the has been active in two of our girls and Wayne third is a reappointment. Dr George Brown an architect of Manhattan. It was served with distinction on the Board of Higher Education for a period of time and as I pleased to reappoint him to the board. This bad week also visiting a number of important as others who are that he has come to the United Nations in order to engage in a discussion on the problems of the Middle East. I often was represented at the airport to welcome very as important as it is to the Ark City including the head of state of Soviet Union who was there to attend the U.N.. That's a big part to study in a very sensitive one and I'm sure every New Yorker shares in the belief that that Israel should not suffer any geographical disadvantage in the discussion that is taking place on boundaries at the UN. That shouldn't close. The integrity and one of the beautiful city of Jerusalem. Well. On a couple of other matters here to back to the mayor's conference here and then and Honolulu. I want to say also that. As a great deal of discussion on to other subjects and on one I'll be offering a resolution on Monday. And that's one of on the disposal of solid waste is that he now is discovering as I fight against air pollution as we are New York that's a disposal of solid waste becomes more difficult and we're all running out of space we believe that this is a national problem and that the country has a national crisis on its hands on the stove of solid right and other resolution would be offering on Monday I. Will call upon an endorsement of the task force report which recommended the expenditure on of the billion dollars by the federal government in the next few years on this matter solid waste disposal also on a summer program great interest here by the other mayors and what New York City is doing in a summer program involving the private sector of important Well we've run out of time. That this comes up. Again with the work of the mayors conference I look forward to the plenary session the poll sessions on Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday morning will be the final touches Wednesday noon obviously going to the Honolulu Press Club and then back to New York City on Thursday but a pleasant break from the normal business of setting off but I look forward to return to New York City on Thursday thank you for listening it's their job and they think about it.

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