John DeFine (interview); Creator: DeFine, John; Interviewer(s): Herbert Janick, Jul 27, 1979

Topics discussed:

SIDE ONE

1 - His interest in politics; Grandfather in politics; 21 as alderman; 25 as state legislator

2 - John Previdi

4 - Ethnic Vote in Danbury Wife Lebanese, G'eorge O'Brien

5 - Family help in elections

7 - Re-surfacing Main St. Revaluation effect New City Hall Danbury "cosmopolitan"Political control Schools

9 - 12-man Redevelopment Comm.

10 - Average person - common sense Commission opposition 1955 floods - Fed funds

11 -Roads -who pays?

12 - .Republicans disapprove bond issue in Hartford

13 · - Floods of 1955

14 - Business leaders needed

15 - Aspirations (pol. future) Lazarus Heyman

16 - Lou Esposito, hatters' union Bob Tomlinson of Barden Art Hurley

17 - Opposition to redevelopment

18 - Floods offset opposition Parking Authority

19 - Danbury growth, Am. Cyan. Mallory to close

20 - Off-street parking lots

21 - 6-story parkin~ garage

22 - Open government, F.O.I. Bowman, Arcanti Redev., White, Rose, Elm Streets.

23 - Moderate & low income housing

24 - Relocating people & business

25 - Preserving structures

26 Fed. Govt. - Corps of Engineers Sydney Rapp, city engineer

27 - Corp. Counsel, engineers, dept. heads

28 - Fed. money, to use it?

29- "Get a share of it back."

30 - 2 diff. schools of thought

31 -Joe Canale, Ken Hannah

32 - Welfare

34 - Opposition

35 - Still River

36 - Ribicoff, Purtell, Busch

38 - Local corporations

39 - Strikes

40 - Effects of pol. on family

41 - Seeking counsel

43 - Murder attempt

44 - Letters, ethnic slurs, "Where did all the money go?"

SIDE TWO

1 - Schoolyard effects, children

2 - Tom Keating, lights out during ballot count

3 - Egotism in politics

4 -- Low pay

5 - Women in politics

6 - Personal business

7 - Public speaking

8 - Jim, Michael Cuff

9-- Aggressive pol. family

10 - Pol. work at 12

11 - Judge James Cuff Deacon

12 - Attempt to run, 1975.

14 - Ethnic voters

15 - Police chaplain, first black policeman, Clayton ?

16 - Finast store, Plan. Comm.

19 - Newspaper

20 - Old library

27 - Planning needed

28 - Law enforcement

30 - "Local flavor" and Professionalism needed in planning

31 - Hospital emergency care

32 - vandalism

33 - Rt. 84 in opposition stage

34 - Shopping centers as general stores, energy

35 -Down St., North St.

36 - Fed. government, state will not listen

(Interview by Dr. Truman Warner and John Sullivan)