"The governor laid out an agenda in the State of the State speech" last week, said Claussen, who co-produced the "Harry and Louise" TV ads that helped torpedo former President Clinton's healthcare overhaul. "Our desire is to help him achieve that agenda."
Schwarzenegger told reporters Monday that if the Legislature refused to pass the reform package he wanted, he would call a special election this year and appeal directly to voters.
That could be "the mother of the mother of all wars," said Steve Merksamer, a Sacramento attorney whose law firm is representing the coalition. The group expects to sift through the proposed initiatives and decide which ones to support. "We have too much automatic pilot going on in this state," said Fox, invoking a phrase Schwarzenegger has used to describe state spending.
Citizens to Save California board members said they intended to tap business interests for donations that could total $20 million to $30 million. They also plan to hire a full-time fundraiser.
Some corporate lobbyists are aware of the effort and expect the donations to flow.
"We're planning to participate in it and we're going to ask clients to seriously consider supporting it," said Dan Dunmoyer, president of the Personal Insurance Federation of California, which represents major auto and homeowner insurance companies.
But a representative of ChevronTexaco said some businesses might be reluctant to write checks.
"Good government is a great thing to be for, but it's unlikely that you'll raise as much money for good government as something that hits your pocketbook," said Jack Coffey, manager of California state relations for ChevronTexaco.
Until last year, Schwarzenegger could rely on his own aggressive fundraising to underwrite ballot campaigns. He proved successful at it. One of his political committees, the California Recovery Team, took in scores of contributions exceeding $100,000 each.
But the rules have changed. The state Fair Political Practices Committee last year forbade unlimited contributions to such ballot committees, subjecting them to the same $22,300 cap that applies to ordinary political campaign committees.
Citizens to Save California may help Schwarzenegger fill the gap. The governor, a popular draw wherever he goes, is free to appear at the group's fundraising events. And he can encourage donors to support its efforts, according to people involved.
Fox said Schwarzenegger is barred from exerting "legal control" over the committee.
Still, "we can certainly talk to the governor's office," he said. "We can get a feel of where the governor is going to go. He's the big king on the chessboard. Wherever he moves, a lot of things move with him."
