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JANUARY 23, 1961;
NERSMEN PARTICIPATING: Bill Bowen, WOTV; Vbrnnn Bradfnrd, TAMPA
TRIBURE; James Oillespy, UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL; John Hayes,
WFGA, WTVJ; Budd Mellichamp, ABC RADIO; Drug Starr, ASSOCIATED PRESS;
Ray Starr, ABC RADIO; Jerry Heck, JOHN H. PERRY PAPERS.
GOVERNOR: ned mcrning.
SEVERAL: Good morning.
GOVERNOR: Are there questicns?
R.STARR: Governnr, you were quated in a speech last Saturday as
saying ynu were in favor er abolishing the Milk Cnmmissien. Would
ynu care tn explain that fer us, sir?
GOVERNOR: Yes, sir. I have a memorandum relative tn that. If I
may postpone my answer for Just a moment, I have Just sent for it.
I will be delighted tn d6 it.
BRADFORD: Well, on that same subject, Governnr, have you filled the
vacancy en the Milk Cmmissinn as yet?
GOVERNOR: Ne. Relative to my comment in St. Petersburg whenever I
was there .
R.STARR: Last Saturday.
GOVERNOR: Last Saturday. Ray, wnuld you like to start over with
your questinn?
R.STARR: Yes, sir. Oevernor, you were qunted in st. Petersburg last
Saturday as saying that you were in faVnr of abolishing the Milk
Commission. Would you care tn explain that to us, sir?
GOVERNOR: Yes. You will recall that ever a long period of time I
have been in faVOr of abnlishing price ccntrnls of the Milk Commission.
In March, I wrnte tn the President of the Senate and the Speaker er
the House recnmmending that the Legislature undertake an investigation.
Speaking to you gentlemen on March 1, I made this statement: Of
churse I suggested tn the Milk cnmmission that they abolish price
controls. And then at a later date in my message to the Legislature
I made this statement: The concept nf milk price control is violative
of the principles of the free enterprise system under which we live
and while there have been arguments for central in a limited degree
I do not feel that these arguments out-weigh the nverriding necessity
for a free market in nur snciety. That is still my position. That is
the pnsitien that I thnught I was expressing and believe I expressed
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in St. Petersburg and that is my position now.
GILLESPY: Governor, you mean that you are saying that you are for
abolishing price controls, rather than the Milk Commission?
GOVERNOR: Yes, that's right.
GILLESPY: You are not on record as wanting to abolish the Milk
Commission?
GOVERNOR: That is correct.
THURSTON: Hill the recent ruling with respect to the importing milk
from across state lines have any direct bearing on the ability of
the Milk Commission to function as it is presently set up?
GOVERNOR: I think the ruling relative to interstate movement of milk
has a direct bearing on the effectiveness of any attempted price
control on the part of the Milk Commission. When you are restricted
to controlling that segment of milk which is produced in.P1orida and
must permit milk from out of the state to move freely in the state,
obviously you have what was in the first place a difficult and then
becomes, in my Judgment, an impossible Job. I don't think it can be
done, aside from thinking that it ought not to be done.
D.STARR: well, what will happen now? Is there anything underway to
stop the milk price control?
GOVERNOR: I understand that the Milk Commission did have a meeting
yesterday in which they reviewed all of the aspects of this matter.
I have not had a report from any members of the Milk Commission as to
what the results of that meeting were.
BRADFORD: Are you having, a difficult time finding a replacement for
Mrs. Tomlinson on the Commission or is it Just one of those things
you haven't gotten around to?
GOVERNOR: No, I have gotten around to it and have discussed it with
several people. I think you can understand that you take an honest,
honorable person pursuing their business and suddenly they know that
if they get on the Milk Commission that whatever they do they are
going to be castigated as being politically motivated and the various
other things that they are castigate d for it makes it very difficult
to get civic-minded, intelligent and honorable peeple to perform this
task. However, I am determined that anyone appointed will be in
that category.
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D.STARR: How about the Board of Control appointment you said you
were aiming for today 6r tomorrow?
GOVERNOR: Yes, I have been. I have acme little reluctance to throw
a new man right into the middle of this determination because,
obviously, he can't have the background that the rest of them do have.
Rowever, I may do it nevertheless, but I am not at this moment ready
to do so.
D.STARR: By tomorrow?
GOVERNOR: Possibly.
THURSTON: What is the status of the process or selecting a site?
GOVERNOR: I read in the paper that they are considering some seven
or eight additional sites and that they are meeting today and tomorrow,
I believe, for the purpose of reviewing these sites and are hopeful
of making a recommendation.
THURSTON: Does this include some places which are non-gifts to the
state?
GOVERNOR: I don't know.
BRADFORD: Would you expect your new appointee to participate in this
decision if you Just named him today or tomorrow?
GOVERNOR: Yes.
GILLESPY: Governor, on another subject to yur knowledge are any
funds from the recreational bond issue, when it is issued, going to
be used for the purchase or rights or way of the Cross State Barge
Canal?
GOVERNOR: Not to my knowledge. At this time, of course, virtually
all of the funds we have come from the boating industry (including
boat owners) and we are using them to build ramps, to buy hunting
grounds and as you recall the several projects that are being under-
taken. Let me Just say in this general area that the whole concept
of this program has been fully outlined and fully explained many times.
Initially there was a study made and issued in February, 1962 -- being
the "Interim Report of the Governor's Committee on Recreational
Development, and then there was another report made based on that
study, "Florida Outdoor Recreation at the Crossroads." To anyone who
is interested in this program, these are valuable source materials and
will previde a clear index or the thinking so far as I know it up to
this time. How, I will remind you that in all probability I will not
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be here when the maJor portion of this program is implemented and if
I were I would only be one of many and, therefore, cannot guarantee
what is going to be done. But I want to emphasise as I pointed out
in a discussion with the Florida Water Resources Conference here in
Tallahassee a couple of days ago, in the utilization of this money
the primary consideration must be the recreational benefits to be
derived. Now in deriving these recreational benefits we hope to
develop multiple benefits that is to say we are not excluding a
project because it has some other benefits, this is a plus factor as
far as we are concerned. But the main criteria is that of recreation.
Presumably there will be some money spent on making boats more easily
useful for recreational purposes in this state so anyone who says
that no money will be used for canals would be, it seems to me, Jumping
to a conclusion that is not warranted. But there is no thought, of
which I have any knowledge, toutilize these funds to purchase rights
of way for the Cross state Barge Canal. I will remind you that in
1961, the Legislature passed an act which provided for the appropria-
tion of state monies to purchase Cross State Barge Canal rights of
way if required and that the Canal Authority has bonding authority
which it may use that also the Canal has extensive lands of its
own, some of which may be disposed under current concepts or which
would be the base for security issues if required to buy further rights
of way. There are multiple sources for funds for this purpose. If
there is anyone who feels that there is some pig or some poke involved,
I think the pigs and the pokes are all available for anyone who
wishes to ascertain what are the facts. And I do hope that discus-
sions of this very vital issue and this very great step forward will
be taken on the basis of the facts.
D.STARR: There was another rumor down in South Florida about the
possibility that the money would be used for irrigation purposes or
similar nonsprimary recreational purposes?
GOVERNOR: Again I refer you to my remarks before the Florida Water
Resources Conference here two days ago in which we outlined very
clearly my one vote concept that for any activity to quality the
recreational significance of the program must be established. Now, if
we have that recreational contribution in a program, the fact that it
also accomplishes some other purpose is not against it. We hope that
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they will accomplish more than one purpose. We are asking, for
instance, Central and South Florida Flood Control to take the lands
that it now has and to be sure that free access is provided, so far
as is compatible with the primary function of the Central and South
Florida Flood Control District, for recreation purposes. And we would
think that the recreation project ought to be entered into with this
same multiple concept.
GILLESPY: Then to your knowledge there is no prohibition against
the use of these funds for rights of way provided a recreational use
could be Justified?
GOVERNOR: I havent studied it with that in mind. I would say that
the best reference is to look at the statute and see what it provides
and I am confident every member of the Legislature is, of course,
conversant with that. But I will tell you that as of this time my
thinking, at least, has been expressed in these two pamphlets (as he
raises those mentioned previouslyin news conference) and in the
remarks that I made at the Florida water Resources Conference here in
Tallahassee two days ago.
R.8TARR: Governor, could you give us the current status on the
Seadade-Islandia proposal or some sort of an idea when this might
come up before the I.I. Board?
GOVERNOR: I don't have anything really significant to report at
this time. So far as I know no concrete plans have been advanced or
considered by the I. I. Board relative to this matter.
8.8TARR: Isn't this rather a long time, Governor, for this finally
to come about you have had a couple of hearings on it already?
GOVERNOR: Yes, it is and it is a very, very complex project. It is
my hope that if this ever comes to pass that it will involve the
creation of significant benefit in a great many areas of activity and
that it can be done in such a way that not only will those persons
directly interested in the Seadade-Islandia concept be benefited but
that multiple benefits will be created for the other people of the
area and the state.
R.STARR: You use the phrase, Governor, "if this ever comes to pass,"
is there some doubt in your mind?
GCVERNOR: There sure is. Of course there is a doubt in my mind.
This is a very involved and complex proposal and no firm conclusion
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can be reached. You are talking about the building of a causeway
and highways along the Islandia amounting to some $11 millions and
the construction or a tremendous channel coating nulti-millions of
dollars, high-level bridges, interruption of conservation benefits -
these are all things that require extreme consideration and until they
are dovetailed I would hope that there will be no active progress.
BOWEN: Governor, you have repeatedly said that you are not going to
back any gubernatorial candidate. How about anybody running for
Attorney General?
GOVERNOR: well, let me say that I feel the same way about Attorneys
General that I do about the Governor as far as this is concerned. I
know you recognise that when I appointed the Attorney General I did
perform my duty in the sense of appointing the best man that I Knew
of in quality for the Job. I have had no reason to change my opinion
that I performed that function satisfactorily.
THURSTON: Governor, what are your thoughts about the disclosure of
sources or income by public officials"
GOVERROR: It is fine. I am glad for than to do it.
BRADFORD: Do you plan to do any campaigning for Mr. xynes?
GOVERNOR: No.
THURSTOR: Are you going to do any campaigning against him?
GOVERNOR: No, sir.
D.SIARR: YOu have said twice now once you will not campaign {or a
governor's candidate, now you will not campaign for attorney general -
will you campaign for anybody?
GOVERROR: At the present time (laughter) I have no such intention.
R.8TARR: What about Senator Rolland?
GOVERROR: What about him?
R.STARR: Will you campaign for Senator Holland?
GOVERNOR: I don't believe he has an opponent.
Are there other questions?
R.8TARR: Governor, you couldn't tell us off-hand where those new
radar speed meters are going to be placed that were discussed by
the Cabinet?
GOVERNOR: No, I couldn't, I'm sorry. Thank you.
SEVERAL: Thank you, Governor.
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NFSS CONFERENCE 00VER1.14R FARFIS BRYANT TALURASSEE JANUARY 2L 1964 PATIN0t Bill Bowen, WCry; Verrie. Giliesty., UNITEtt rR233 I[fTEBNATI rid Mel .ieheap, ABC BADIS; Drug. St FADIO; Jerry Mr.ek, JOHN H. PERBY
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.Petersburg and that is my position now. SPY: Gover.ora you aan that you a.re saying that you are for shing price enntralr., rather than the Milk C'emmissier,? N010 Yea, thatte right. BrYr You are rtet eri ret-ord as wantirag te abolish the kilk ssion? 90ft: That is erirrr.ct. EON: Will the recent ruling with respect to the importirg milk aernss state linen have ariy direct bearing en the abili.ty of ilk Corm:lission to functier as it is presently set up? 90R: I think the ruling relative to intrrstate mrvement of n.i direct bearing nre thE effeGtiVE!rteBS t''I RTay atter!!ptEd pri"E sl ''h the part nf the Xilk CorrJ:lission, When you rare rE-Stl-1.C Edrl itrellirs that segment ofmilk whleh is prrducel ira Flrrida 2.nd wirriit rr.ilk frera e'ut -f the state tr move freely in the strate, isly y~a have what was in the first place a difficult and then :s Iri my judment ari ijarnes ihle job. I don' t thl:1k it can be
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