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October 10, 2003, 01:37 AM
Schwarzenegger to 'Go to the People' if Opposed
Thu Oct 9, 7:04 PM ET Add Top Stories - Reuters to My Yahoo!
By Adam Tanner
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (Reuters) - Declaring he had a mandate from the people, California Governor-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger (news - web sites) said on Thursday that he would go over the heads of lawmakers if they did not back his political plans.
"I'm absolutely convinced I will be working very well with the legislature, Democrats and Republican alike," he told a news conference. "If there is a problem you can be assured that I will go directly to the people, because the people of California have made it loud and very clear that they want change."
He was referring to California's tendency to bring contentious issues to voters through initiatives and referendums. Analysts say California's finances are particularly difficult to untangle because previous referendums give politicians little leeway to adjust the budget.
As part of his program to clean house in Sacramento, Schwarzenegger announced that Florida's budget director, Donna Arduin, would conduct an audit of state finances. "I think there is a lot of waste that we will find," he said.
Arduin is on leave from the staff of Florida Governor Jeb Bush, the president's brother. The campaign cited her success in realizing a budget surplus in Florida and her past experience in both New York and Michigan as examples of her qualifications for the much-touted audit.
Facing a state budget deficit of at least $8 billion, the former muscleman has closed off many fiscal options by promising not to raise taxes.
TRANSITION TEAM
The star of the "Terminator" films named nearly 70 people to be part of a transition team charged with choosing "the brightest and the best" to work with him in state government.
The transition team included San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown; Hewlett-Packard Corp. chairwoman Carly Fiorina; film director Ivan Reitman; former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan; ex-Gov. Pete Wilson, and former Secretary of State George Shultz.
He also named Bill Simon, a conservative who as Republican nominee lost last year's governor's election to Gray Davis (news - web sites).
All 70 will be asked to forward recommendations as to who should serve in the Schwarzenegger administration.
Davis was recalled by voters furious at the state's economic condition in Tuesday's election.
Democrat Davis met with his cabinet secretaries and department heads in Sacramento where he thanked them for their service and asked them to help ease the transition.
"The best thing we can do to help the people in this state we are serving is to extend a hand of cooperation to the new administration," Davis said. "When the time comes we will leave the capital with our heads held high and our dignity."
Schwarzenegger also made clear that he does not intend to answer questions about sexual harassment changes that overshadowed the last days of his campaign.
He had said he would address the issue in detail after the election, but called it "old news" on Thursday.
It is still unclear when he would formally take power but it could take several weeks. The state's election board can only certify the election after it has received final tabulations from each of California's 58 counties.
Beginning his second news conference in two days, he seemed surprised by the somber atmosphere that typically prevails at political news conferences. "I hope you all lighten up a bit," he said as he entered a hotel ballroom for the event.
Thu Oct 9, 7:04 PM ET Add Top Stories - Reuters to My Yahoo!
By Adam Tanner
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (Reuters) - Declaring he had a mandate from the people, California Governor-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger (news - web sites) said on Thursday that he would go over the heads of lawmakers if they did not back his political plans.
"I'm absolutely convinced I will be working very well with the legislature, Democrats and Republican alike," he told a news conference. "If there is a problem you can be assured that I will go directly to the people, because the people of California have made it loud and very clear that they want change."
He was referring to California's tendency to bring contentious issues to voters through initiatives and referendums. Analysts say California's finances are particularly difficult to untangle because previous referendums give politicians little leeway to adjust the budget.
As part of his program to clean house in Sacramento, Schwarzenegger announced that Florida's budget director, Donna Arduin, would conduct an audit of state finances. "I think there is a lot of waste that we will find," he said.
Arduin is on leave from the staff of Florida Governor Jeb Bush, the president's brother. The campaign cited her success in realizing a budget surplus in Florida and her past experience in both New York and Michigan as examples of her qualifications for the much-touted audit.
Facing a state budget deficit of at least $8 billion, the former muscleman has closed off many fiscal options by promising not to raise taxes.
TRANSITION TEAM
The star of the "Terminator" films named nearly 70 people to be part of a transition team charged with choosing "the brightest and the best" to work with him in state government.
The transition team included San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown; Hewlett-Packard Corp. chairwoman Carly Fiorina; film director Ivan Reitman; former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan; ex-Gov. Pete Wilson, and former Secretary of State George Shultz.
He also named Bill Simon, a conservative who as Republican nominee lost last year's governor's election to Gray Davis (news - web sites).
All 70 will be asked to forward recommendations as to who should serve in the Schwarzenegger administration.
Davis was recalled by voters furious at the state's economic condition in Tuesday's election.
Democrat Davis met with his cabinet secretaries and department heads in Sacramento where he thanked them for their service and asked them to help ease the transition.
"The best thing we can do to help the people in this state we are serving is to extend a hand of cooperation to the new administration," Davis said. "When the time comes we will leave the capital with our heads held high and our dignity."
Schwarzenegger also made clear that he does not intend to answer questions about sexual harassment changes that overshadowed the last days of his campaign.
He had said he would address the issue in detail after the election, but called it "old news" on Thursday.
It is still unclear when he would formally take power but it could take several weeks. The state's election board can only certify the election after it has received final tabulations from each of California's 58 counties.
Beginning his second news conference in two days, he seemed surprised by the somber atmosphere that typically prevails at political news conferences. "I hope you all lighten up a bit," he said as he entered a hotel ballroom for the event.