NEWS CONFERENCE 83

A. It bothers me a little bit, but it's better than the Hess-Warfield
plan. It's certainly better than that. It doesn't throw the burden so
completely on the man in the lower income group as the extension
of the sales tax does. Again I want to wait for Senator Hughes' deter-
mination of the impact of this. I haven't seen any figures on it. But
if there has to be some amendment, this is the type of amendment that
I could be persuaded to support.

Q. Governor, if you have no alternative, would you sign a tax plan
that calls for a 1 percent increase in sales tax?

A. If I had no alternative other than the extension of the earnings
tax or throwing the burden back on the property owner, yes.

Q. How do you think your plan is moving, Governor?

A. I think it is moving very well. From what I understand, it looks
like it's going to come out of the House Ways and Means Committee
very shortly. I don't know too much about whether it's to come out
with the amendment that Mr. DeFilippo asked about, or whether
it's to come out as it is. But I did hear it should get out this week.

Q. Governor, the National Association for the Advancement of
Colored People has recommended something to you the other day and
has said that you told them you couldn't support a full scale open
housing bill today, this year, but you would take the bill along and
that you would support a full scale bill next year. Where are you on
that point?

A. That's an accurate report. I think that the best bill that we can
get through this year is a bill restricted to new housing. I think it's
important that we leave this session of the Legislature with something
achieved and not simply with another defeat. I'm supporting that bill
because I believe it's important to have something pass the Legislature.
The bill is consistent with my campaign statements. Now as I indi-
cated during the campaign, I would be receptive later on, possibly to
an extension of the coverage to old apartments. But I think that
should wait. The climate isn't right for it this year, and it's most
important that we achieve the possible and not strive for something
that's going to result in another defeat.

Q. Governor, I understand that some of the Legislature have been en-
couraging you to back a plan that would affect older apartment
dwellings?

A. At a later date. I don't think that does anything different than