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California Proposition 20, Coastal Initiative Collection
MS-0195
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Contributing Institution:
Special Collections & University Archives
Title: California Proposition 20, Coastal Initiative Collection
Creator:
California Proposition 20
Identifier/Call Number: MS-0195
Physical Description:
0.63 Linear Feet
Date (inclusive): 1972-1972
Date (bulk): 1972
Language of Material:
English
.
The collection consists of materials regarding the Proposition 20 campaign from 1972, most of which are from organizations
which worked to defeat the measure.
This collection is open for research.
The copyright interests in these materials have not been transferred to San Diego State University. Copyright resides with
the creators of materials contained in the collection or their heirs. The nature of historical archival and manuscript collections
is such that copyright status may be difficult or even impossible to determine. Requests for permission to publish must be
submitted to the Head of Special Collections, San Diego State University, Library and Information Access. When granted, permission
is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical item and is not intended to include or imply permission
of the copyright holder(s), which must also be obtained in order to publish. Materials from our collections are made available
for use in research, teaching, and private study. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including
but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials.
Frederick C. Whitney Papers
Identification of item, folder title, box number, California Proposition 20 Coastal Initiative Collection, Special Collections
and University Archives, San Diego State University Library.
The voters of California, by an 800,000 vote margin (55%-45%), passed the Coastal Initiative, Proposition 20, in November
1972. The proposition created six regional commissions and one statewide commission to oversee the use and development of
California's 1,000 mile coastline. Members of the regional and state commissions were to be locally appointed in some instances,
with a percentage of the appointments filled by the Governor, state Senate Rules Committee, and the Speaker of the Assembly.
Proposition 20 was designed to address the state legislature's failure to produce an acceptable compromise measure regarding
coastal ecology, protection, and preservation. Ecology groups and interested private citizens drew up the initiative and obtained
the required number of voter signatures to qualify the proposition for the November 1972 ballot within two months of the Legislature's
final defeat of the previous coastal bill.
Proposition 20 was, from the start, very controversial. Business and labor banded together in their opposition to the initiative;
two of every three daily newspapers in California joined this odd coalition, as did numerous civic and service groups. Although
an effective and vigorous campaign by the proposition's opponents was the result, the Proposition's supporters were ultimately
successful.
9999-046
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Personal Papers
Coastal ecology--California--History--20th century--Sources
Coastal zone management--California--Citizen participation--History--20th century--Sources
Referendum--California--History--20th century--Sources
Political participation--California--History--20th century--Sources
Coasts--California