A bill that could clear the way for the construction of a veterans’ monument on Clark Avenue, at the gateway to Old Town Orcutt, is heading to the state Senate floor.
On May 26, the Senate Appropriations Committee unanimously approved the bill, authored by 19th District Sen. Tony Strickland (R-Simi Valley), by an 8-0 vote.
“The passing of this bill through committee is a fitting Memorial Day tribute to the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice,” Sen. Strickland said in a press release. “By supporting this monument, my colleagues and I are showing our appreciation for soldiers from all branches of the military.”
Steve LeBard, president of the Old Town Orcutt Revitalization Association, inspired the legislation after Caltrans denied his proposal for a 60-foot American flag memorial surrounded by five pillars, each representing a branch of the United States military. In its denial, Caltrans cited a ban on expressions of “political speech” on the rights-of-way it maintains.
“I’m glad we’re getting this through so we can get our memorial built, but I’m not happy the bill was basically gutted,” LeBard said. ”That doesn’t set any precedent as far as the rest of the state of California being able to fly the American flag in their gateway projects.”
Instead of authorizing the monument’s construction, Strickland’s bill, as amended, would require Caltrans to transfer the land near the park-and-ride lot where the monument would be built to Santa Barbara County, which could then approve the project’s construction. Caltrans officials weren’t immediately available for comment.
In the Senate committee’s analysis of the original bill, senators warned if the bill passed as originally written, future lawsuits could be brought against the state. LeBard said the amended bill could mean he would have to start the proposal process all over again with the county.
In the meantime, LeBard has petitioned Caltrans for permission to put up an “interim flagpole” at the monument’s proposed site by July 4. On May 30, LeBard also authored a letter to Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Thousand Oaks) asking the congressman to support a U.S. Constitutional amendment stating the American flag is a symbol of the nation and does not represent an individual’s “expressive speech.”
“Our flag is the very thing that unites every American and every State in the Union,” LeBard wrote. “This symbol must remain forever pure for the world to witness.”
A state Senate vote on Strickland’s bill could come as early as June 3.
This article appears in Jun 2-9, 2011.