The recent actions of Gov. Gray Davis have shown that his current objectives may be different from what The California Voter Foundation has outlined as the top three priorities of his 2002 re-election campaign.
The foundation profiled his three campaign priorities as being firstly to restore California’s schools by raising the expectations of students and increasing funding. Secondly Davis planned to implement HMO reforms, protecting the rights of the patients and thirdly to develop an administration to unite California’s diverse population. In his 2002 State of the State address, Davis stated, “We will not back away from our historic commitments to education, economic growth, health care and public safety.”
However, during his inaugural address on January 6, Davis stated that one of his main objectives was to “find a way to wean state government off the feast-and-famine budgeting it’s experienced for generations.” His recent budget cuts have supported this agenda but may have compromised his campaign promises of providing quality education to California.
While campaigning Davis also stated that he would not advocate the raising of taxes as he stated that it “would further burden individuals and businesses struggling to stay afloat in these difficult economic times.” However, in his 2003 budget statement he proposed raising the sales tax by one cent and increasing the cigarette tax by $1.10 to generate revenue for the state.
One organization, named “Recall Davis,” headed by former assemblyman Howard Kaloogian, argues that Davis is not living up to the commitments that he made to the people of California. Members are currently circulating petitions and propaganda to ensure the recall qualifies for a spot on a special election ballot. One Yuba College student, Grace Hill is a member of the campaign. She feels that Davis lacks in money management and doesn’t pay attention to the vote of the people. Hill stated, “He is the head of the fifth largest economy. He better pay attention to the budget.”
Kaloogian stated, “Californians are clearly fed up with the corrupt and incompetent policies of Gray Davis. The people feel betrayed by the lies and deception Davis used to hide the seriousness of the state’s budget crisis, only to reveal the truth after he was re-elected. But Californians are taking action with this recall effort to save their schools, their public safety services, and their take
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