Recall History, Not Davis (6/15/03)

By Dean Hartwell

Some people in California, frustrated with the performance of Gray Davis as Governor, have initiated a recall campaign to remove him from office. Though the Davis opponents are right in that Davis is partly to blame for the state’s $38 billion deficit, the recall effort should fail like the recall efforts before it as detrimental to democracy.

Not long ago, another California governor had problems with a deficit. That governor, Pete Wilson, exacerbated this problem by failing to, along with the Democratic Legislature, agree upon a budget in 1992. Because of that, the state of California could not pay its employees and other expenses.

Combined with yet another factor, a sagging state (and national) economy, these problems sparked an attempted recall on Governor Wilson. Eventually, when Wilson worked together with the California legislature later on in the year to make a budget, the recall effort died down and never made it to the ballot. A similar recall effort against Wilson’s predecessor, George Deukmejian, had likewise failed.

Can Davis work out his fiscal problems with the State legislature?

That question remains open, but the governor deserves a chance. The state’s voters re-elected him to a four-year term and the recall supporters have yet to come up with a sound reason for thwarting the clear intent of the electorate.

Some say that Davis has no one but himself and his party to blame for the budget deficit since Democrats control both houses of the legislature. However, to pass a budget in California, two-thirds of both the Senate and the State Assembly must agree to it. The Democratic Party has not held such majorities in either house during the time decisions were made about the current budget situation.

Others believe that Davis, as the governor, should assume responsibility for the increases in spending over the past two years. Indeed, the current budget represents a 33% increase in spending over the 2001 budget. But Davis reasonably anticipated more revenues from income, capital gains and sales taxes than he received. The poor economy in both this state and the nation has been a strong factor in the state deficit.

Still others contend that Davis has provided weaker leadership than any other recent governor. However, as noted above, other governors have been subject to recall efforts. In fact, Deukmejian left behind what was at the time the largest deficit in the history of the State of California, over $14 billion.

Recall attempts should succeed when a case can be made that the officeholder must leave office immediately, or at least before the next election. Though Davis has not always shown the best judgment, he has not engaged in bribery or other criminal behavior. For that reason, he should remain the governor of California.