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Title: Braun & Company Records
Dates: 1936-1988
Collection number: C100
Creator:
Braun & Company
Collection Size:
13 cubic feet
Repository:
California State Archives
Sacramento, California
Abstract: The Braun & Company records span the years 1936 to 1988 and contain 13 cubic feet of textual records, as well as several media
items, such as audiocassettes, film reels, and computer diskettes. Researchers interested in political strategy, especially
in initiative campaigns, will find much of value in this collection. Many of the textual records are internal memoranda between
Braun & Company and the various organizations and candidates for whom they worked. These memoranda often discuss campaign
strategy, media planning, fundraising, and other important aspects of political campaigns.
Physical location: California State Archives
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
Collection is open for research.
For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the California State Archives. Permission for reproduction or publication
is given on behalf of the California State Archives as the owner of the physical items. The researcher assumes all responsibility
for possible infringement which may arise from reproduction or publication of materials from the California State Archives
collections.
[Identification of item], Braun & Company Records, C100.[series number], [box and folder number], California State Archives,
Office of the Secretary of State, Sacramento, California.
Acquisition and Custodial History
The California State Archives acquired the records of Braun & Company through a donation.
Braun & Company Business and Public Relations Consultants was founded in 1930 by T.W. Braun. Upon its incorporation as a California
corporation in 1936, it listed its primary purpose as "to promote, manage, aid, advise and assist, financially or otherwise,
corporations, copartnerships, joint stock companies, syndicates, trustees, associations and individuals..." By the 1970s,
Braun listed its primary services offered as financial and investor relations, governmental relations, public affairs, business
and marketing counsel, and media relations.
The main offices of Braun & Company were located in Los Angeles, but other offices were in San Francisco, New York, and Washington,
D.C. Among the prominent political consultants who worked for Braun & Company over the years was Herb Baus, cofounder of the
Baus and Ross political consulting firm.
In politics, Braun & Company specialized in initiative campaigns; the first statewide initiative they worked on was Proposition
22 in 1936, and they continued for over fifty years. There was no noticeable ideological bent to which campaigns they chose;
however, they were hired multiple times by organizations opposing local rent control policies, and favoring increased spending
on emergency services such as police and firefighters.
The branch of Braun & Company assigned to political campaigns was formally known as Braun Campaigns, Inc.; however, in this
collection the standard name Braun & Company is used.
The Braun & Company records span the years 1936 to 1988 and contain 13 cubic feet of textual records, as well as several media
items, such as audiocassettes, film reels, and computer diskettes.
Researchers interested in political strategy, especially in initiative campaigns, will find much of value in this collection.
Many of the textual records are internal memoranda between Braun & Company and the various organizations and candidates for
whom they worked. These memoranda often discuss campaign strategy, media planning, fundraising, and other important aspects
of political campaigns.
Of particular interest in this collection are local initiatives in Los Angeles which helped finance the establishment of the
911 emergency call system (Charter Amendment 1 of 1977), repealed the city's "prevailing wage" statute for city workers' salaries
(which failed as Proposition O in 1978 but succeeded in 1983 as Charter Amendment 1), and reformed pension systems for city
police officers and firefighters (Proposition G of 1980 and Charter Amendment H of 1982).
In addition to specific initiatives, Braun & Company worked on a number of local issue campaigns, in which their goal was
simply to raise awareness of the issue in question and influence public opinion. These included medical malpractice reform
(1975-1976), rent control (1977-1979), school integration (1978), and no-fault auto insurance (1980).
Although Braun & Company played a role in (unsuccessfully) opposing Proposition 13, the Jarvis-Gann initiative of 1978, the
files contained in this collection are minimal. However, researchers will find in-depth material on Proposition 4, the so-called
"Spirit of 13" initiative promoted by Paul Gann in 1979; and Proposition 9, the "Jarvis II" income tax reduction initiative
of 1980. Despite working for the Proposition 13 opposition, Braun & Company was hired by Gann in 1979 to help qualify Proposition
4 for the ballot; they successfully opposed Proposition 9, however.
Also of interest is Proposition 9 of 1982, which would have authorized construction of the controversial Peripheral Canal
to carry water from Northern to Southern California. Although Proposition 9 was defeated overwhelmingly, receiving just 37
percent of the vote, the issue is still being discussed and is among the most heated debates in California. The Proposition
9 files should be of interest to those researching the politics of water.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Braun & Company
Campaign management