BILL NUMBER: SCR 23 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 11, 2015
AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 6, 2015
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 21, 2015
INTRODUCED BY Senator Gaines
FEBRUARY 27, 2015
Relative to the Senator Paul J. Lunardi Memorial
Highway.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SCR 23, as amended, Gaines. Senator Paul J. Lunardi
Memorial Highway.
This measure would designate a specified portion of State Highway
Route 267 in the County of Placer as the Senator Paul J.
Lunardi Memorial Highway. The measure would also request the
Department of Transportation to determine the cost of appropriate
signs showing this special designation and, upon receiving donations
from nonstate sources covering that cost, to erect those signs.
Fiscal committee: yes.
WHEREAS, Paul J. Lunardi was born on September 30, 1921, in
Roseville, California, and lived his entire life at the family home
on Earl Avenue; and
WHEREAS, Upon his graduation from Roseville High School, Lunardi
enlisted in the United States Coast Guard during World War II. After
the war, he was elected to the Roseville City Council in 1950 and
1954, winning the mayoral seat in the latter year; and
WHEREAS, During his tenure on the city council, Lunardi was
instrumental in the adoption of a city charter for the
council-manager form of government and successfully established a
community hospital, developed a municipal fire department,
established an updated street lighting system, obtained central
valley federal power for the city, and expanded sewage, water, and
electric distribution systems. His outstanding record of achievement
earned Lunardi a highly coveted "Outstanding Young Men of California"
award presented by the State Junior Chamber of Commerce on January
8, 1955; and
WHEREAS, Lunardi's entry into politics "was just sort of
accidental," and as he used to say, "I just kind of expressed myself
about what was happening in Roseville"; and
WHEREAS, Lunardi was elected to the State Assembly in 1958,
representing the 6th Assembly District, which spanned 11 mountain
counties. He served in the Assembly until 1963 when he was elected to
the State Senate to represent the 7th Senate District, which
included the Counties of Sierra, Nevada, and Placer. He retired in
1966 due to redistricting; and
WHEREAS, One of Senator Lunardi's proudest
accomplishments was his legislation designating the ghost town of
Bodie as a State Historic Park. Bodie is now listed on the National
Register of Historic Places and is one of the best preserved and most
visited (200,000 people a year) ghost towns in the nation; and
WHEREAS, Senator Lunardi introduced the first bill in
the state's history to assess farmland at a lower tax rate. The bill
later passed with the help of Assembly Member John Williamson and is
now known as the Williamson Act; and
WHEREAS, Skiers and mountain residents still benefit from one of
Senator Lunardi's major legislative accomplishments that
designated the "Truckee shortcut" as State Highway Route 267, that
links the City of Truckee to Kings Beach. Prior to 1965, the road was
regularly closed by snow in the winter. Senator Lunardi's
legislation enabled the road to remain open year-round, worth
millions of dollars to the area's tourism and ski industries, and
allowed for the development of Northstar Ski Resort; and
WHEREAS, Senator Lunardi was honored in 2008 when his
hometown of Roseville dedicated a park in his name, to honor his
civic achievements and his dedication to the community where he lived
his entire life; and
WHEREAS, Senator Lunardi passed away peacefully on
January 11, 2013, at 91 years of age and was laid to rest in his
beloved Roseville, California; and
WHEREAS, Designating a portion of State Highway Route 267, that
links the City of Truckee to Kings Beach, as the Senator
Paul J. Lunardi Memorial Highway would be an appropriate honor for
this visionary leader who fought to develop this highway; now,
therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly
thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby designates the
5-mile five-mile portion of State
Highway Route 267 from postmile 4.898 to the end of State Highway
Route 267 at postmile 9.898 in the County of Placer, as the
Senator Paul J. Lunardi Memorial Highway; and be it further
Resolved, That the Department of Transportation is requested to
determine the cost of erecting appropriate signs, consistent with the
signing requirements of the state highway system, showing this
special designation and, upon receiving donations from nonstate
sources covering that cost, to erect those signs; and be it further
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this
resolution to the Director of Transportation and to the author for
appropriate distribution.