Davis faces 'Total Recall'

Today's political environment is filled with crisis, but in California there are those who want to spend time trying to recall Gov. Gray Davis instead of addressing the real problems we face.

Although petitions to recall sitting governors are nothing new, this petition, proposed by Ted Costas, head of the anti-tax group called People's Advocate, has gained rapid recognition and a following due to the current condition of the California budget. Heading this effort with Costas, are state Rep. chairman Shawn Steel and chair of the Recall Gray Davis Campaign, Howard Kaloogian.

Kaloogian's stated reasons for the Davis recall include what he suggests is Davis' obsession with campaign cash, his mishandling of the energy crisis and the misrepresentation of the budget deficit during the 2002 campaign.

For a recall to succeed, the petitions must have 897,000 signatures, or 12 percent those who voted for governor, within 160 days of Davis' response to the grievances presented by People's Advocacy. If this is accomplished, then the recall elections will be held the same time as the March 2004 primary elections. If things move faster, then an election can be held within three months of the recall signature certification. Either way, candidates can file their intents up to two months prior to the election leaving room for Rep. heavyweight Arnold Schwarzenegger, Dem. Dianne Feinstein and others to decide on plans.

Of course, both liberals and conservatives have found reasons to oppose Davis. But unfortunately the governor is not at the center of many of these problems facing the state. Recalling him will do nothing to address the central problem of the budget shortfall. That crisis was in full swing prior to Davis' re-election. Besides, all the other justifications to recall Davis were available to the public prior to the last election. So what is going on?

Gov. Davis' proposed solutions to the budget deficit, as stated in his spending plan for the 2003-2004 Fiscal year, will leave holes in public schools across the state and devastate other human services, but the governor also calls for an increase in the sales tax by one cent, increasing some income tax brackets and increasing the cigarette tax by $1.10. Overall, Davis has suggested $20.7 billion in program reduction. While he plans to take money out of healthcare and schools, he has also approved continued pay raises for prison guards. All of us who are students would be better funded as prisoners.

The state budget crisis is the worst since 1932, but unlike the past administrations, the Bush administration has not allocated any emergency aid to the states. Instead of wasting our time with a recall, wouldn't it be more productive to find applicable solutions to the current crisis.

It would be easier to recall Davis and keep searching for a fix-all in one governor. But even if Davis is recalled, a solution to the deficit will not follow. What would Mr. Schwarzenegger do to solve California's problems? Beat up the bad guys? No matter what else happens, the budget mess will have to be cleaned up with a combination of cuts and tax increases. All of that would be much easier with a federal government willing to live up to its obligation to govern.