In a State Sorely Needing Vision, Davis’ Will Be Tested

SACRAMENTO

Fun’s over. Beating up hapless Bill Simon Jr. and winning a second term was great sport for Gov. Gray Davis. Now comes the difficult drudgery: governing California.

The warning of political sage Stu Spencer to then-Sen. Pete Wilson still reverberates through the Capitol 13 years later: “California is ungovernable.” Wilson ignored his friend and ran for governor anyway.

Spencer had in mind the state’s wide diversity of viewpoints and geography, scarce resources, perpetual population growth and lack of political discipline. All this is particularly troublesome during bad economic times like the present, when the state government faces its second straight year of gargantuan budget deficits.

Beyond the year-to-year challenges, no governor since Pat Brown four decades ago has really planned for the next generation. We’re still drinking his water, driving his freeways, attending his universities. And they’re no longer enough to go around.

Davis could shock us all and leave a shining legacy if he brought together some of our great thinkers to plan for the time in only 25 years when there’ll be 50 million people living in California. That is, if he

actually acquired a vision and exercised leadership to implement it.

Even more than Spencer’s words, a caustic comment by Davis three years ago still echoes through the Capitol, annoying legislators: “Their job is to implement my vision.”

Says Senate Republican leader Jim Brulte of Rancho Cucamonga: “If he wants the Legislature to implement his vision, he needs to have one.”

Sure, it’s a partisan shot, but not one that Democrats don’t also frequently fire at the governor anonymously.

The truth is, Davis is as disliked in the Legislature as he is in the electorate. (Next to Davis’ narrow 5-point victory, the most memorable number from California’s election was the 60% who had an unfavorable impression of the winner.)

So Davis begins his second term a weakened governor. He has no mandate from voters. Indeed, as of the latest count, 1.6 million fewer people voted for Davis last Tuesday than when he won the office in 1998.

He faces a horrendous budget problem. There’s a projected shortage of at least $10 billion -- perhaps $20 billion -- for the next fiscal year. That’s what will be needed to balance the state’s general fund, now spending about $77 billion.

Here’s some perspective: If they fired every state civil servant, that would save only $11 billion, according to nonpartisan legislative analyst Elizabeth G. Hill. The fact is that 70% of the general fund flows to schools and local government.

California voters just added to the deficit by piling another $18.6 billion onto the state’s credit card for school, housing and water projects. All good causes, of course, but that bond debt will cost the general fund about $1.3 billion annually. Plus, add another $550 million for Arnold Schwarzenegger’s after-school program.

Total yearly cost for all this newly mandated spending: $1.8 billion.

It’s an open question whether Davis is up to the challenge.

His style is that of a risk-averse loner. Skittish and unsocial.

Not only does Davis too often not delegate, he doesn’t micro-manage either, leading to drift and delay -- whether in filling vacancies on regulatory boards or in confronting a looming energy crisis.

For a politician, he’s not very political in dealing with the pols he needs. He can charm, but more often grates. He doesn’t enjoy friendly banter. He’s rude, keeping people waiting long past their scheduled appointments.

Davis’ problem is this: His centrism doesn’t excite Democrats, but neither does he try to make up for it by developing relationships. By bonding. Schmoozing.

“He’s not the kind of guy,” an advisor says, “who tells his secretary to call up recalcitrant committee chairs and ‘see if they have time to go to lunch with me today.’ ”

But opportunity now has been handed Davis, as well as challenge.

The budget crisis is his opening to demonstrate courage by boldly proposing significant tax increases and deep spending cuts. Both unpopular, but both inevitable. Davis can get credit for leading -- as Wilson once did.

Anyway, that’s his job.

Davis now is liberated from fund-raising because of term limits -- and because he can’t run for the U.S. Senate, let alone president, without first focusing for four years on being a productive governor. Keeping out of the pockets of special interests could improve his image.

The governor should take the pledge to be more personable -- get around the Capitol and the state, and not just for phony photo-ops. Go talk to people.

Have some fun. Take pols golfing -- without charging a fund-raising fee. Maybe even look down the fairway to the next generation.