With State Budget Overdue California's Governor is Missing in Action

The state budget is overdue. California's crisis-plagued prison system is on the brink of a federal takeover. The agency charged with putting tough new global warming regulations into effect is in turmoil.

Nonetheless, last week closed with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's attention thousands of miles east as he ventured to Florida for a turn before the cameras and a $25,000-per-table Republican party fundraiser.

To Capitol insiders, the trip was the latest troubling evidence that despite the many big issues before him, the governor's interest in the nuts and bolts of governing has ebbed. Splashy announcements remain his trademark, but after the cameras pack up, Schwarzenegger has often not followed through. As a result, key parts of his agenda are foundering.

The difficulties are most pronounced with the state budget, which was supposed to be signed by July 1. In moves that raised eyebrows in the Capitol, Schwarzenegger has left the state twice since the budget stalemate began late last month.

Travel is not the only problem. The governor waited until July 9 to bring the four legislative leaders into his office for a "Big 5" budget meeting — the forum he and other governors have used to keep negotiations moving. The leaders from both parties emerged to announce that little got done. No more meetings have taken place.

 Mendelsohn argues that the meltdown at the air board was the result of regulators failing to follow through on the governor's instructions — ones conveyed by his advisors. When Schwarzenegger aides warned the board to go easier on industry, Mendelsohn said, the governor had signed off on the moves.

Much of his galavanting sees Scwarzengger tauting his environmentally friendly governing, while he's cutting business out of the effort at home. 

tags: california  schwarzenegger  budget  

links: digg this    del.icio.us    technorati    reddit