Aaron C. Davis: Schwarzenegger Preparing Fundraising Blitz for Election
Speaking in San Jose on Thursday, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger rebuffed naysayers of his November special election, promising to push forward with a packed schedule of fundraisers to pay for launching a "full blast'' campaign after Labor Day.
"I am not concerned about the polls at all,'' Schwarzenegger said, referring to a poll released Thursday that showed 34 percent of Californians approve of the governor's performance in office. "It's all about messaging and educating the people, and we will do that the last six, seven weeks of the campaign. It is too early to go out and do the full-blast campaign.''
Schwarzenegger has been heavily criticized for his recent fundraising efforts because they have extended into the final weeks of the legislative session — the time when the governor must decide whether to sign hundreds of bills into law.
Thursday, the governor maintained that large donations to his opponents by labor unions had forced the multi-millionaire former movie star into the unusual position of "begging'' for money.
"Let me tell you, this is very hard for me to do. I have never, ever asked anyone for money, not ever in my life. Now I have to go out there ... and beg people for money, and it's tough to do,'' Schwarzenegger said. "But I have to because it's the only way we get the message on television and communicate with the people.''
Schwarzenegger blamed the Democrats in the Legislature for thwarting his past efforts for campaign-finance reform, saying their opposition to the change was partly to blame for what is bound to be a big-money showdown in November. The governor also alluded to one of the more contentious November ballot initiatives, which he has so far declined to openly endorse. The initiative, known as "Paycheck Protection,'' would limit the use of public employees' union dues for politics.
"We know the other side is going to spend $100 million,'' Schwarzenegger said. "All they do is just raise the union dues.''
Schwarzenegger's comments drew groans from Democrats and government watchdogs.
"For someone who professes to be a reluctant fundraiser, he certainly is very good at it,'' said Kathay Feng, executive director of California Common Cause. Feng said Schwarzenegger failed to mention half the problem.
"Democrats rely on unions; Republicans also rely on deep pockets of corporations and longtime wealthy givers,'' Feng said.
Schwarzenegger's remarks came at a San Jose event designed to highlight the success of the state's workers' compensation reform the governor negotiated last year.
Schwarzenegger visited with San Jose sheet-metal manufacturer Sal Acosta, who said workers' comp costs for his 75-employee factory just south of downtown were projected to drop from $450,000 last year to $275,000 this year, helping allow the company to afford to stay in town.
"Thank you, governor,'' Acosta said in front of a somewhat star-struck crowd of factory workers and local business leaders. "It really has helped.''
Acosta said that two years ago he had to consider closing or relocating his family business of 30 years because of the region's beleaguered economy and rising costs like workers' compensation.
Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi reported earlier this month that insurance companies had cut businesses' premiums an average of 26.7 percent. Insurers' costs for paying such claims had dropped even more -- 36.5 percent -- over the same two-year period.
Acosta said he has saved nearly 40 percent in workers' compensation costs.
Some lawyers and union activists for injured workers say the savings for employers and insurance companies have come at a price for injured workers who receive less care.
Schwarzenegger acknowledged Thursday that the reforms may have some problems, saying his office had initiated a study to make sure the program wasn't hurting workers.
"If we find anyone has been disadvantaged because of the system,'' Schwarzenegger said, "we will make some tweaks.''