Returning the Golden State to a golden shape

by Ken Maddox

Arnold Schwarzenegger became famous for both his movie roles and his

tremendous success in bodybuilding competitions. His active lifestyle

has kept him fit.

But, like a couch potato, California’s fiscal lifestyle is grossly

unhealthy, causing all of California to suffer. Luckily, Gov.

Schwarzenegger is ready to use his expertise to trim California’s

budget bloat. Schwarzenegger has put the state on notice, time to get

pumped up and drop fiscal fat.

When he was sworn into office on Nov. 17, Schwarzenegger received

a pre-Thanksgiving turkey from outgoing Gov. Gray Davis. Most of the

problems that Davis failed to address, and which led to his ouster,

will confront Schwarzenegger immediately as he settles into the

governor’s office. His ability to deal with these problems, however,

is enhanced by the skills he brings to the office.

Schwarzenegger faces the results of excessive spending and fiscal

mismanagement. Our deficit is out of control, due largely to five

years of binge spending by the legislature. Even in this last year’s

budget, the one where California faced a record $38 billion deficit,

government’s year-over-year spending actually increased. Sacramento

politicians just cannot break their spending addiction.

Like starting to exercise, California can start immediately with

warm-ups and move on to longer workouts. There are a litany of boards

and commissions that pay lavish six figure salaries for a weekend’s

worth of work. These appointments, usually reserved for favored

campaign supporters, need to be abolished -- saving the taxpayers

millions of dollars and sending a signal that Sacramento’s lifestyle

is due for a shakeup.

Along this road to fiscal health, we need to target waste in

government. In 2001, the Davis administration gave an exclusive state

computer contract to the Oracle Corp., ignoring standard oversight

rules. In that instance alone, California overspent by at least $45

million.

One of Schwarzenegger’s first decisions was to order a thorough

audit of government’s books by Donna Arduin, a top-notch fiscal

sleuth who is adept at rooting out government waste. She will surely

identify additional millions in wasteful spending. Since California

needs the equivalent of a personal trainer, someone to constantly

watch our weight, Schwarzenegger wisely asked Arduin to be the state

director of finance after her audit is complete. She will be in a

position to closely regulate what goes into California’s fiscal diet.

However, trimming the fat can only accomplish so much.

Schwarzenegger’s most important goal is to bring employers back to

California and to encourage the growth of small businesses. Unless

people are employed and entrepreneurs can be rewarded for

risk-taking, our economy, and tax revenue, will stagnate. We need to

jump-start what is usually the most dynamic economy in the country by

putting an end to restrictive regulations and creating a more

business friendly environment.

After five years of a leadership vacuum, Schwarzenegger will bring

needed energy to Sacramento’s couch potato politics. Many pundits are

quick to warn of the obstacles that Schwarzenegger must overcome.

These are indeed formidable, but our governor is, like so many other

Californians, full of optimism and eager for a challenge. With a

healthy diet of fiscal responsibility and a steady effort to firm up

our business environment, California can return to its Golden shape.

* KEN MADDOX is a Republican state Assemblyman representing

District 68, which includes the cities of Costa Mesa, Garden Grove,

Westminster, Fountain Valley, Anaheim, Stanton and Newport Beach.