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Conversation: 117-001

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Start Date: 6-Mar-1973 10:58 AM

End Date: 6-Mar-1973 11:59 PM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Gribbs, Roman S.Welch, LouieGarn, E. J. ("Jake")Greco, Dick, Jr.Lugar, Richard G.Maltester, Jack D.Parks, Lyman S.Moody, TomAllen, Thomas P.Cmich, Stanley A.Taft, James L., Jr.Testerman, KyleDriggs, John W.Wilson, PeteMay, StephenLynn, James T.Cole, Kenneth R., Jr.Falk, James H.Mead, Dana G.O'Neill, Paul H.

Recording Device: Cabinet Room

117a.mp3

117b.mp3

117c.mp3

117d.mp3

NARA Description:

On March 6, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and mayors representing the US Conference of Mayors and National League of Cities, including Roman S. Gribbs, Louie Welch, E. J. ("Jake") Garn, Dick Greco, Jr., Richard G. Lugar, Jack D. Maltester, Lyman S. Parks, Tom Moody, Thomas P. Allen, Stanley A. Cmich, James L. Taft, Jr., Kyle Testerman, John W. Driggs, Pete Wilson, Stephen May, James T. Lynn, Kenneth R. Cole, Jr., James H. Falk, Dana G. Mead, and Paul H. O'Neill, met in the Cabinet Room of the White House at an unknown time between 10:58 am and 11:59 pm. The Cabinet Room taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 117-001 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 116-8/117-1

Date: March 6, 1973
Time: Unknown between 10:58 am and 11:59 pm
Location: Cabinet Room

Roman S. Gribbs met with Louie Welch, E. J. (“Jake”) Garn, Dick Greco, Jr., Richard G. Lugar,
Jack D. Maltester, Lyman S. Parks, Tom Moody, Thomas P. Allen, Stanley A. Cmich, James L.
Taft, Jr., Kyle C. Testerman, John W. Driggs, Pete Wilson, Stephen May, James T. Lynn,
Kenneth R. Cole, Jr., James H. Falk, Dana G. Mead, and Paul H. O’Neill.
[This is a continuation of Conversation No. 116-8. An unknown portion of the conversation was
not recorded while the tape was being changed; recording begins while the conversation is in
progress]

The President entered at 3:04 pm

     Meeting with mayors
          -Benefits
          -Areas of concern

     Urban problems
         -Administration’s policies
               -Process for resolving issues
               -Survey of community problems
               -Youth summer employment
                    -Federal funding
                          -Past policies
                          -Establishment of orderly process
                          -Baltimore
                    -Help from industry
               -Cutbacks in federal budget
                    -Misunderstandings by mayors
               -Transition period
                    -Problems
                    -Meeting of administration and mayors
                    -Specific proposals by administration
                    -Use of carry-over funds
               -Urban renewal programs
                    -Survey of cities
                          -Results of analyses
                    -Administration policies
                          -Impact on cities
                                 2

              NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                         Tape Subject Log
                           (rev. 10/08)



                       -Employment
                             -Emergency Employment Act [EEA]
                       -Job training
                       -Manpower programs
                       -Control by local officials
-Community development
     -Budget items
           -Calendar Year 1974
     -Fiscal Year 1974
           -Allocation
     -Housing
           -Freeze
     -Present appropriations
     -Better Communities Act
     -Administration policies
           -Impact
           -Land acquisition by federal government
                 -Funding
                 -Decision process
-Model cities program
     -Columbus, Ohio
     -Summer 1973
           -Mayors’ concerns
-Funding of programs
     -Summer youth program
     -Administration’s goals
           -Revenue sharing
                 -Appeal for mayors’ support
                 -Advantages
     -Summer 1973
           -Problems
                 -Detroit
                 -Columbus
-Administration’s programs
     -Support from mayors
           -Revenue sharing
                 -General
                 -Special
     -Budget problems
           -Summer youth employment
           -Local problems
                 -Inflation
                                               3

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/08)



                           -Property taxes
                      -Appropriations for domestic programs
           -Congress
               -Pressures to cut back
               -Revenue sharing
               -Summer employment
                     -Restraints
                     -Need for administration support

     Present meeting
          -Intergovernmental cooperation
          -Concerns about Summer 1973
                -Transition period in policy
          -Special revenue sharing

The President left at 3:39 pm

     Summer youth programs

     Administration policies
         -Authorization for cities
               -EEA
                     -Amount of appropriation
               -The President’s requests
                     -Amounts
                     -Departments of Labor and Health, Education, and Welfare [HEW]
                           appropriations
                     -The President’s vetoes
                           -Reasons
         -The President’s vetoes
               -Continuing resolutions by Congress
                     -Legislative history
                           -Public Employment Program [PEP]
                           -Impact on cities
                                -PEP
         -Summer programs
               -Neighborhood Youth Corps [NYC]
               -Spending levels
                     -Sports programs
                     -Legislative procedures
               -Appropriation of funds
               -Office of Economic Opportunity [OEO]
                                      4

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                              Tape Subject Log
                                (rev. 10/08)



          -NYC
          -Transportation
          -Work Study
     -Funding options
          -Publicity
          -The President’s decision
                -HeadStart program
          -Problems of explanation and communications
                -Misrepresentations in media
                -Letters to mayors
          -Budget
          -Budget summary
          -Conference of Mayors
          -Problems
                -Cutbacks
                      -Impact on localities
                      -Confusion
                            -Reasons
                -Administration’s policies
                      -Transition period
                -Caution by mayors
          -National League of Cities [NLC]
                -Resolution
     -Federal programs
          -Summer programs
          -Mayors’ responsibilities
          -Federal government’s responsibilities
                -Responsiveness
          -Need for communication
          -Conference of Mayors
                -Evaluation of programs

Present meeting
     -Possible statement
           -President’s views
           -Department of Housing and Urban Development [HUD] views
     -Attitude of mayors
     -Responsibilities
           -Administration
                 -Appreciation for support and criticism
     -Issues
           -Transition period
                                              5

                         NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 10/08)



                    -Problems
               -Need for dialogue with administration
                    -Feedback from mayors on specifics
               -Summer programs
                    -Clarification on appropriations
               -Community development
                    -Scheduling of programs
                    -Transitional funding
                    -Mayors’ concerns
                    -Transitional funding
                          -Availability
                    -Better Communities Act
                          -Purpose
                    -George W. Romney and O’Neill
                          -Meeting with mayors
                    -Transitional funding
                          -Availability
                                -PEP and NYC
                          -Mechanism
                          -Problems
                                -Resolution
                                -Feedback from mayors
                          -Congressmen
                                -Complaints

     Lynn’s meeting with the President

Lynn left at an unknown time before 4:53 pm

     Urban problems
         -Administration’s policies
               -Problems
               -Future meetings of mayors
                    -Preparation of materials
         -Community development
               -Transitional problems
                    -Credibility of administration and mayors
               -Funding
                    -Bill in Congress
               -Transitional funding
                    -Confusion
                    -Clarification
                                        6

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                Tape Subject Log
                                  (rev. 10/08)



          -Water programs
               -Approval
               -Misinterpretations
               -Policy statements
     -Problems of communications
          -Advice of mayors
               -Resolution
          -Task forces
          -Work with administration
     -Administration’s policies
          -Labor/HEW bill
          -Progress
          -Transition period
               -Immediate problems
                     -Lay-offs
                     -Model Cities program
               -Resolution of problems

Present meeting
     -Summation
     -Model Cities
          -Cutbacks
                 -Impact of administration’s policies
     -Community development
          -Shortage of funds for localities
          -Agency actions
          -Inadequacies in programs
                 -Summer youth program and senior citizens
                 -Impact
                 -Correction
          -Housing
                 -Analysis of problems
                 -Proposals for Congress
                 -Administration’s policies
                      -Transitional problems
                 -Cancellation of projects
     -Administration’s policies
          -Caution
          -Communication problems
     -Public statement
     -Subjects of discussion with the President
          -General revenue sharing
                                                 7

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/08)



                -NYC program
                      -Necessity
                      -Budgetary review
                -Strategy problems on housing
                      -Transition
           -Urban relief
                -Problems of Congress
                -Publicity
                -Availability of funds

     Urban problems
         -Senior citizens programs
               -Current programs
               -Availability of funds
                     -Office of Aging, HEW
                     -The President’s policies
               -Congressional actions
                     -Inadequacies
               -The President’s requests
                     -Funding
                           -Increases

     Present meeting
          -Public statement
               -Topics of discussion
               -Sources of funds
                      -Office of Management and Budget [OMB]
               -Transitional problems
                      -Results of discussions

     [General conversation/Unintelligible]

     Budget
         -Cuts in funds
              -Transition period
         -Community development
              -Outlays
              -Urban renewal
              -Housing

Gribbs, et al. left at an unknown time before 11:59 pm
                                              8

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 10/08)