Lawmakers Set Nov. 9 Date for Quake Relief Session

Representatives of Gov. George Deukmejian and legislative leaders Monday set a preliminary date of Nov. 9 for a special session of the Legislature to provide extra relief for victims of Southern California earthquakes, a Republican senator announced.

Sen. William Campbell (R-Hacienda Heights), chairman of the Joint Committee on Disaster Services who attended the meeting in Deukmejian’s office, said a tentative relief agenda and the proposed Nov. 9 start of the session still must be agreed to by Democratic legislative leaders.

Extra Relief

Earlier, both Assembly Speaker Willie Brown (D-San Francisco) and Senate President Pro Tem David A. Roberti (D-Los Angeles) indicated that they favor a special session to enact legislation that would provide extra relief to victims of the devastating series of quakes this month.

Campbell said that it was not known how much the legislation would cost because damage estimates have not been completed, but added that “I think we are talking a loss of $250 million in public and private properties.”

He said the proposed agenda would include augmenting a federal grant program of $5,000 per family by an additional $5,000 in state aid. Also, the first installment of property tax payments due Dec. 10 would be delayed until April 10, 1988, he said, and the property of quake victims would be reassessed.

In addition, a state income taxpayer could spread his or her loss over six years instead of just one, as is the current law, Campbell said.

For damage to local public works, he said, the state would take over a local government’s 25% share of repair costs. The federal government already pays the other 75% of such costs.

Noting that emergency legislation would require a two-thirds vote from each house for approval, Campbell said it may be difficult to round up 54 members of the Assembly and 27 senators to provide the necessary votes.

‘Signs Off’

“If the (Democratic) leadership signs off and we can find 54 Assembly people and 27 senators that are in the state on Nov. 9, we’ll have a special session, hopefully lasting one or two days,” Campbell said.

Campbell and Assemblyman Frank Hill (R-Whittier) were the only lawmakers to attend the session with Deukmejian’s advisers. Democratic leaders and other Republicans sent staffers to represent them.