Newport optimistic about state’s future

June Casagrande

A mood of jubilation following the recall results quickly simmered

down to cautious optimism on Wednesday as city leaders shifted into

wait-and-see mode. Will governor-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger make

good on his pledge to protect the coffers of California’s cities? Or

will he fail to live up to his words?

“It’s going to be interesting to see what happens with a new

sheriff in town,” Mayor Steve Bromberg said. “Will anything change? I

don’t know. I think it will. He’s a smart guy when it comes to

money.”

Bromberg had a sit-down about two weeks ago with then-candidate

Schwarzenegger, who was seeking the mayor’s endorsement. The first

thing Bromberg wanted to know: what will you do for us?

“I said, ‘Arnold what would you do fiscally to help small cities

like Newport Beach?’” Bromberg said. “He said he would follow the

state Constitution.”

When the nearly half-hour meeting was over, Schwarzenegger had

another endorsement to add to his arsenal and Bromberg had a new

respect for the candidate.

“The guy is not a lame-o like a lot of people think he is,”

Bromberg said. “When it comes to numbers, he’s smart.”

Newport Beach has long had a beef with Gov. Gray Davis because of

what local leaders say is his habit of dipping into city coffers to

help pay the state’s bills -- even when it’s prohibited by the state

Constitution.

Among the ways the Davis administration has cost cities money is

by withholding property tax dollars and failing to live up to the

constitutional requirement that the state help cover the cost of

mandates it forces on cities. The state has also cut back the amount

of property tax it pays to cities.

Orange County overwhelmingly supported the recall. At noon

Wednesday, with 616 of 650 precincts reporting, 73% of Orange County

residents had voted yes on the recall; 63% of voters picked

Schwarzenegger to replace Davis, 17% chose Bustamante and 15% voted

for Tom McClintock.

The county registrar’s office doesn’t crunch the numbers for each

city, but Newport’s strong anti-Davis sentiment suggests that the

pro-recall vote was at least as high if not higher here.

Now leaders must play the waiting game to see what the votes will

mean here at home.

“It seems like the new governor intends to be a populist who wants

to represent all of the people in California,” City Manager Homer

Bludau said. “That gives me hope that city and county government will

be treated much better in Sacramento than they have been treated in

recent years.”

* JUNE CASAGRANDE covers Newport Beach and John Wayne Airport. She

may be reached at (949) 574-4232 or by e-mail at

june.casagrande@latimes.com.