Governor’s Veto Plays Sour Note in CSULB Jazz Project : Legislation: Wilson says he rejected the bill because spending public money on the private institute would be inappropriate, given the state’s financial crisis.

Gov. Pete Wilson has sounded a sour note for jazz aficionados, rejecting a measure to establish an Institute for Preservation of Jazz at Cal State Long Beach.

In the aftermath of the most serious budget crisis in the state’s history, Wilson said Monday in Sacramento that it would not be appropriate to provide public funds for the institute.

Although there were no public funds budgeted for the project, the legislation, authored by Assemblyman Willard H. Murray Jr. (D-Paramount), would have allowed the institute to seek financial support from federal, state and local governments as well as private donors.

In the veto message released Monday, Wilson said he would approve similar legislation if all the funds were derived from private sources.

Murray’s measure authorized the California State University trustees to set up the institute as a central repository for jazz artifacts. Murray conceived of the program as a way to foster an appreciation for the music and to produce musicians and teachers specializing in jazz.

Murray said he was disappointed that he was unable to persuade Wilson of his proposal’s significance.

At issue, Murray said, is whether the state should have a role in preserving a heritage that has its roots in African-American culture but which has “developed into an American art form.”

He said it would be appropriate to use public funds to preserve the art form, citing the expenditure of tax dollars “for opera, ballet and symphony music, which I think is appropriate.”

“We are supporting art with public funds,” said Murray, explaining that he believed the proposed institute could have sought funds from such state agencies as the California Arts Council.

Even before the Legislature approved Murray’s bill in August, Cal State Long Beach was tapping private sources simply to preserve existing educational programs threatened by state budget cuts.

Still, Cal State Long Beach President Curtis L. McCray said in an interview this week that he believed the campus could raise the $50,000 in private donations needed to get the jazz project off the ground.

McCray was surprised by Wilson’s veto, saying that campus officials thought all along that they would be raising private money.

“We had no illusion at all that there would be General Fund revenues” available, McCray said.

McCray was optimistic about the ability of campus officials to raise the needed donations because the campus is home to KLON, a popular public radio station that plays jazz, and to a blues festival.

McCray said campus officials, reluctant to steal Murray’s thunder, will not proceed with the project until new legislation passes and is approved by the governor. “We owe it to him out of respect,” McCray said.