Gov. Schwarzenegger urges 'yes' on Propositions 57 and 58

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger gives a thumbs-up to the crowd at the World Ag Expo in Tulare.

By Steve Adler

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger carried his "Yes on 57 and 58" message to the Central Valley last week, as he urged voters to support the two bond measures on the March 2 ballot whose passage he said is vital for the state's fiscal recovery.

On a spectacularly sunny day, the governor told an enthusiastic crowd of thousands of farmers and ranchers attending World Ag Expo in Tulare that he is buoyed by recent polls that show most Californians favor passage of the two propositions.

"If you vote 'yes' on these two propositions, it will be the first step out of the hole and we will be on track to recovery. That is what we need and that is why it is important that we all work together on this," Schwarzenegger said. "Let us make sure that the politicians will never spend more money than the state takes in."

If approved by voters next month, Proposition 57 would authorize the sale of $15 billion in bonds, with the funds placed in the state's General Fund to help offset the $22 billion debt that Schwarzenegger inherited when he took office. Proposition 58 would require the state to have a balanced budget every year and prohibits future bond issues to pay for the state's deficits.

Schwarzenegger compared the state's fiscal crisis with that of an individual who has accumulated too much credit card debt. "If you go to a financial advisor and say, 'I have a spending habit and I can't help myself, can you help me?' he would say, 'Yes, let's consolidate all the debt, let's refinance it, and then let's cut up all the credit cards and throw them away,'" he said. "That's exactly what I want to do, that's exactly what these two propositions do."

The governor said he is very encouraged by the bipartisan support that is being given to the two ballot measures.

"The Legislature has helped me put the California recovery plan on the March ballot. Democrats and Republicans voted for it and are now campaigning together for the passage of these propositions," he said. "A massive weight has been placed on this state. Alone I cannot lift it, but together we can."

Leaders of major agricultural organizations, including California Farm Bureau Federation, Western Growers and California Women for Agriculture, stood solidly with the governor in pledging their support for passage of the two propositions.

"The California agricultural industry is the most important part of the state's economic engine," said CFBF President Bill Pauli. "We create hundreds of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in revenue. Propositions 57 and 58 are vitally important for California to put its fiscal house back in order.

"I am proud that the governor is putting his name and his reputation on the line by traveling across the state in support of these two critical issues. We are 100 percent behind you on Propositions 57 and 58," Pauli said.

Jeri Hansen, president of California Women for Agriculture, introduced the governor and expressed the appreciation of CWA members for Schwarzenegger's efforts on behalf of agriculture and the people of California. "This is something we understand well," she said. "After all, there is no Republican way to be a farmer and there is no Democratic way to be a rancher. Gov. Schwarzenegger understands that he was elected to get things done and that is exactly what he is doing."

The governor also addressed the urgent need for reform of the state's workers' compensation insurance system, pointing out that the high costs are causing some businesses to leave the state and others to cut back. "It costs five times as much to break your arm on the job than to break your arm at home. This is ridiculous, it is outrageous and there is no excuse for this kind of system," he said.

Schwarzenegger said he is hopeful that legislators will pass true workers' compensation insurance reform and that he has given then until March 1 to do so. "If the Legislature doesn't act, I will put together another proposition on the November ballot. If that is what we have to do, we will let the people decide to reduce these costs once and for all," he said.

The governor had high praise for A.G. Kawamura, California's secretary of food and agriculture. "He's a low-key guy and he doesn't like to be in the spotlight. He may be a little shy, but he is a man of substance. As a matter of fact, A. G. stands for 'Agriculture God,'" he said.

Prior to the public event at the Case IH exhibit on the expo showgrounds, the governor met with a group of California agricultural leaders in closed-door session at the adjacent Heritage Complex.