Special Election Plan: Vote Now, Pay Later

It's even stiffing California's chief elections officer, Secretary of State Bruce McPherson.

The counties never have been paid for their cost of the 2003 recall election that sent Schwarzenegger to Sacramento. They've had to swallow the $55-million tab, despite pleas in the Capitol.

"The Legislature's view is, 'That's old news,' " says Farrah McDaid, an official of the California State Assn. of Counties. "The [Schwarzenegger] administration just says, 'We had nothing to do with it. It wasn't our gig.' "

Now there's another looming drain on local treasuries. The counties' cost of conducting Schwarzenegger's special election in November -- above what they'd ordinarily be spending for local elections -- is estimated at $45 million.

The state has "a moral obligation," says Contra Costa County voter registrar Stephen Weir, vice president of the California Assn. of Clerks and Election Officials. "You just can't call an election for politically questionable purposes and expect counties to pay the cost."

Politically questionable? "The world is not going to come to an end if these things are not dealt with right now by the public. If the state really feels this is important, the state ought to pay for it."

Weir notes that all the initiatives slated for the special election could be placed on next June's regular ballot at no additional cost to taxpayers.

Schwarzenegger does promise that the state will reimburse the counties eventually. In his proclamation calling the election, he declared that any resulting local costs "shall be included in the state budget for the 2006-2007 fiscal year, or in an earlier enacted claims bill."

That happened a decade ago, when Sacramento ultimately paid for the local costs of a 1993 special election called by Gov. Pete Wilson.

But no governor, regardless of his proclamation, can commit the Legislature to appropriating money. Democratic lawmakers don't want the election anyway.

Moreover, promises aren't always kept in Sacramento. Ask schools.

Schwarzenegger reneged on a 2004 pledge -- part of a budget deal -- to give schools their normal share of any revenue increase. The Legislature even sent the governor a separate bill putting that promise in writing, and he signed it. The California Teachers Assn. now is suing for the $3.1 billion.