John Briggs (politician)

"'otherpeople2|John Briggs

John V. Briggs is a California state politician who served in the California State Assembly (1966–1974) and the California State Senate (1974-1981). Briggs was a leader in several important legislative reforms in California, including:
* Proposition 13: Jarvis Property Tax Reduction Act
* Proposition 7: Restoring a tough death penalty law
* California Indoor Safe Air ActFact|date=October 2008, which banned smoking in public buildings
* Reduced the voting age to 18 from 21

Early life

Briggs was born in Mitchell, South Dakota but spent his childhood in California, where he was raised by his single mother. He attended high school and college in southern California. After college, Briggs joined the military forces. Between 1947 and 1951, Briggs served in the United States Air Force in the Korean Theater, and the United States Naval Reserve.

Near the end of his military service, Briggs met his future wife at a USO dance. They have now been married 57 years. Together, they have three grown children, eight grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

Throughout the years, Briggs has remained active a variety of community groups including the Chamber of Commerce, the Rotary Club, the Boys and Girls club. He has also been an active church member.Fact|date=September 2008

In Briggs’ early career, he started a successful insurance brokerage.

Political Beginnings

Briggs’ political career began as an outgrowth of his participation in the Junior Chamber of Commerce. He served as a local Jr. Chamber President and California State Director as well as President of the Senior Chamber of Commerce. He also served as President of the Walter Knott Young Republican Club prior to his selection by the Republican Party to be their Assembly nominee.

Legislative Service

Briggs’ political career was shaped by an era of social debate and fast change. In response to a 61% majority favor in the polls, Briggs sponsored the 1978 initiative known as Proposition 6 that would have restricted homosexuals from teaching children in public schools. It is rumored that Ronald Reagan spoke out publicly against the Briggs initiative thus instigating the defeat, but that has been found untrue according to public recordsFact|date=October 2008. The Log Cabin Republicans, a national organization of gay Republicans, subsequently credited the Briggs Proposition 6 as being the catalyst leading to formation of that organization.

Protests against Proposition 6, otherwise known as the Briggs Initiative, became a center focus for protest groups that sometimes relied on violence to promote political change. In 1977, the identity of two FBI agents was exposed when federal judges called upon them to testify against a feminist faction of the Weather Underground who plotted to assassinate Briggs in this office with a homemade pipe bomb. [cite web|accessdate=2008-10-03|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,912056-1,00.html|title=Infiltrating the Underground|date=1978-01-09]

In this heated socio-political climate, both sides of the Proposition 6 debate were targets of violence. Harvey Milk, of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, entered the public spotlight largely as a result of his debates in the media with Briggs. Supervisor Milk, along with Mayor Moscone, were shot dead by conservative board member Dan White who was enraged at the prospect of losing his political appointment.

Post-political life

In June 1973 (during his fourth term as Assemblyman), Briggs was selected by his Alma Mater, California State University, as Outstanding Alumnus.

After he retired in 1981, Briggs operated a successful political and business consulting firm for fifteen years. In 2000, he moved to Lake Tahoe where he became a successful real estate investor. He now lives in Southern Nevada with his wife of 56 years.

References