Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is having a difficult year, what with multibillion-dollar deficits and foundering ballot measure campaigns. Now add to the mix a new petition to recall him from office, approved Friday by Secretary of State Debra Bowen.
The recall petition is the second one circulating to take the governor out of the Capitol by the same door he came in. The new petition’s main proponent is John D. Fusek of La Habra, representing a group called Taxpayers United to Recall Governor Schwarzenegger.
According to the petition, “The governor promised to reduce state spending and reform state government. Instead, he increased spending by over 40%, benefiting public sector unions and special interests, at the expense of taxpayers.... The governor promised to help encourage job creation by reducing costly regulation. Instead he passed more job-killing mandates that are destroying California jobs and opportunity. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger must be held accountable for worsening the lives of California taxpayers, voters and families.”
Schwarzenegger spokeswoman Julie Soderlund declined to comment. Most recall efforts are unsuccessful. The proponents of this one need to gather more than a million valid signatures by Oct. 22 in order to qualify it for the ballot.
—Michael Rothfeld