Political Quotes

“Yes, but the point I want to make is this: We are now having increased earthquakes. There is an increased probability of a major earthquake. Therefore, what it is prudent to do is for the local jurisdictions to begin to address their building codes and bring them to a higher level. That is controversial, because everybody will immediately complain that this increases costs. In fact, it does. But one of the things we learned in this earthquake--and in Loma Prieta--was that some of the freeways that stood when others came down, were the ones that had the most steel. The aqueducts that held were the ones that had the most steel. In California, there has been a trend to use more concrete because it is cheaper and it goes farther. Up to this point, everybody has felt that with the spiral rebar and the other techniques of steel sheathing of some of the concrete support posts, it was adequate. I think a number of these things are going to be reexamined in the future, and people are going to look differently at codes. I think this goes for wood frame construction in highly earthquake-prone areas as well. I think zoning laws, when it comes to permitting housing within 30-year major storm areas, where you know there is going to be housing flooded out periodically, is something that local jurisdictions have to cope with. There is one thing I really do believe, though, and that is that in times of natural disaster, people have an expectation that their Government is going to respond.…”