Sacramento (California), Nov 16: When he takes office tomorrow, Arnold Schwarzenegger will begin running the nation's most populous state with an ambitious agenda for his first 100 days and high expectations. He'll soon learn the differences between making promises and actually getting them accomplished, particularly for a Republican dealing with a Democrat-controlled legislature.
"People will be forgiving to a degree," said Barbara o'Connor, director of the Institute for the Study of Politics and the Media at Sacramento State University.
"They perceive him as new to Sacramento, and they will be willing to give him a little time. But they are not going to be willing to have him raise taxes and they're probably not going to support any massive cuts, especially to education."
Schwarzenegger won the recall election that bumped Gov. Gray Davis from office by running a campaign built on reform, promising to rebuild the state's economic engine, protect the needs of children and the elderly and break the hold of special interests over the capitol.
The new governor said he would repeal the tripling of the car tax that took effect in September and renegotiate union contracts with state workers.
He is expected to call a special session of the legislature, to begin Tuesday, to consider issues including imposing midyear spending cuts to help reduce next year's expected USD 8 billion deficit, reforming the state's workers' compensation system, repealing a new law that will allow undocumented immigrants to get driver's licenses.
Bureau Report