NEWS CONFERENCE 725

to meet the objectives that everyone seems to set forth. But some
people seem to construe differently. The objective is to have a fair
rate of interest without gimmicks, or trickery, or subterfuge. I under-
stand there's some feeling on the Senate side that the House bill is
too tight, yet the interest rate is set at a maximum of 8%. Now this
I find very difficult to understand — how a 2% jump in interest can
be too tight even though it is eliminating gimmicks, and discounting,
and all the other devices that have been used in the past to create a
better return for the lender.

Q. Governor, do you consider this bill important enough for you to
lend the weight of your office to support this measure?

A. The interest bill?
Q. Yes.

A. Yes I do, and I have been trying to support it. I am much inter-
ested in it, and I have said on many occasions that I am for a bill
which does what apparently this bill does.

Q. Have you contacted members of the Legislature as you do on
many administrative measures to ask their support?

A. Well, when you say have I contacted members of the Legislature
"as I do" — I question the fact that I do — except where a bill be-
comes stalled in a certain specific area where I think I can help move
it or it's out on the floor for a vote where I think I can help persuade
somebody. Yes, when that moment comes I will be glad to support
that bill.

Q. What was your reaction to the news reports that legislators were
eating sundaes and squirting water pistols as they considered your
budget bill?

A. I didn't see the news report, to be honest with you.

Q. Governor, the Legislature cut nearly $3 million from your budget.
Do you think that that will hurt the operation?

Governor. How much money, Mr. Oishi?

Mr. Oishi. It was over $3 million and they restored $250, 000 to the
Department of Correction.

A. (Governor) Well they restored more than that. As I understand,
in addition to the correctional restorations, there were restorations
for six very important positions to supervise Medicaid cost control,
there were six positions in the water resources area and....

Q. (Interruption. ) That sum totaled about $2. 7 million.