Arnold went with a Health Care Pro as his Chief Of Staff.
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latimes.com
Schwarzenegger Names Clarey as Chief of Staff
By Matea Gold and Marisa Lagos
Times Staff Writers
2:45 PM PDT, October 22, 2003
Gov.-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger named Patricia Clarey as his chief of staff this afternoon, ending speculation that the former Ronald Reagan and Pete Wilson staffer would lead his administration.
"I have a great deal of confidence in her leadership ability as she works to create a bipartisan relationship between my new administration and members of the state Legislature," Schwarzenegger said of Clarey, who served as his deputy campaign manager during the short recall race and will be instrumental in choosing the governor-elect's staff.
Clarey — recently a health maintenance organization executive, after working in Sacramento under Wilson and for the White House during both Reagan and George Bush Sr.'s terms — said she was excited about the job.
"It is an honor to return to public service and work for Governor Schwarzenegger during such an important period in California's history. I am committed to the governor's goal of strengthening California's economy and bringing jobs back to the state," she said in a statement.
A moderate on social issues who is described as a no-nonsense manager, Clarey also worked on former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan's failed gubernatorial campaign in 2002.
She is vice president for governmental affairs for Health Net Inc. of Woodland Hills, which describes itself as the third-largest health maintenance organization in California — and is a significant player in Sacramento.
The announcement came as Schwarzenegger arrived in the capital for the first in a series of meetings with top legislators and all of California's statewide elected officials.
Schwarzenegger, who is also scheduled to meet with Gov. Gray Davis, was to begin his series of 20-minute encounters — billed by advisors as "get-to-know-you" sessions — this afternoon, meeting with Senate Pro Tem John Burton, Senate Republican leader Jim Brulte, Assembly Speaker Herb Wesson and Assembly Republican leader-elect Kevin McCarthy.
During his two-day visit, the governor-elect will also raise the prospect of calling a special session to deal with California's troubled state budget.
The meetings come on the heels of a fresh warning Tuesday from Treasurer Phil Angelides that the state's financial problems could soon grow worse.
The round of private meetings constitute the incoming governor's most substantial actions since his decisive election Oct. 7, and the reaction to the sessions is expected to be parsed for signals of how the movie star will make the transition into his new role.
"The governor will be extending a hand to Democrats and Republicans alike to ensure that he's got a good working relationship here in Sacramento," said Schwarzenegger spokeswoman Karen Hanretty earlier in the week.
Coping with a looming budget shortfall will be Schwarzenegger's most immediate task, complicated by his pledge to immediately repeal a recent $4-billion increase in the vehicle license fee.
On top of that, Angelides warned Tuesday that the incoming governor must quickly devise a backup plan in case the courts strike down a $13-billion bond package that the state used to balance this year's budget.
Beyond those matters, the new governor has laid out an ambitious agenda for his first 100 days in office, pledging a wide range of actions on everything from renegotiating contracts with state unions to changing state fund-raising laws.
Schwarzenegger has already brought in Donna Arduin, a veteran budget director on loan from Florida's finance office, to "audit" California's books, a task she said would be completed by the time Schwarzenegger has to submit his new budget in early January.
The governor-elect has already suggested that he might seek ways to refinance some of the state's debt — if not by action of the Legislature then by seeking a voter initiative.
A special session would enable the Legislature to fashion a plan that would become law within a short period of time. For example, measures approved by a two-thirds vote take effect immediately.
Some legislators warned that such a session will not ensure a solution to the state's financial problems.
"It's easy to schedule," Burton said. "You say, 'Everybody be here next Tuesday at 1 o'clock.' What comes out of it is something else."
Schwarzenegger is slated to sit down with Davis on Thursday morning, just a little over two weeks after the two men were exchanging harsh rhetoric on the campaign trail.
Over the next two days, the governor-elect intends to meet with each statewide officeholder, including Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante, who placed second in the race to replace Davis. Schwarzenegger's wife, Maria Shriver, already has called Bustamante's wife, Arcelia.
Schwarzenegger will also be meeting with a joint caucus of Assembly and Senate Republicans, a sign of the increased importance GOP lawmakers will likely have in Sacramento.
Schwarzenegger's trip to Sacramento will be his most visible move since he met with President Bush last week. For the most part, he has been closeted with advisors, sifting through resumes from those applying to work in the new administration.
He took a break over the weekend to spend time with his family at its vacation home in Sun Valley, Idaho. |
