The other day I heard from a reader who wanted to know more about Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s “private” lunch for legislators, held after the State of the State address a few weeks ago with public and press excluded.
The reader, C.S., thought there was more to the story.
“As a state worker, I have to follow the state rules mandating that any expenses I may claim show a valid state purpose,” he e-mailed. “If any one of the attendees claimed any expenses (e.g. taxi fare) relating to this private lunch, and cited the purpose as ‘official state business’ then that is something the people deserve to know.”
I’m with C.S., but I have to tell him that he’s singing a different song from the governor and many of those in the Legislature.
The lunch, at the venerable Sutter Club near the Capitol, clearly violated the spirit of the state’s open-meetings law. When the governor convenes the Legislature, for any purpose, the gathering should be public.
According to the Associated Press, Schwarzenegger’s invitation to the lunch said this, in part: “I plan to lay out some bold ideas for helping our great state through this troubled time and building an even brighter future, and I don’t doubt that we will have plenty to talk about.”
Californians would love nothing more than help through this troubled time, and better yet a brighter future. That’s a discussion worth having – in public.
According to the AP, a Schwarzenegger spokesman said about 70 lawmakers came to the lunch, which would have been a majority of the 120-member Legislature.
Despite the shrugging among the political crowd – “this was a social event,” etc. – Schwarzenegger’s clubby approach underlined a theme of arrogance that has become too common: that the rules don’t apply except when those in power want them to, and that a governor can more or less do whatever he wants.
One of my Bee colleagues, veteran political columnist Dan Walters, sees this differently. His column Monday called the private lunch flap overblown.
I’m newer here, but I think the lunch is another bad note from a tone-deaf leadership. I hear recurring themes in public discontent with government: Citizens want common sense. They want government to work. They want value for their tax money.
They want respect.
California voters have used strong measures to keep elected officials accountable: Term limits, the resounding rejection of budget-balancing initiatives last year and a constant drumbeat of disapproval that has led to pay cuts for legislators.
Such tactics, along with threats of recrimination against legislators who vote their consciences, haven’t always produced good government. Yet voters aren’t wrong to yearn for elected officials who report back to citizens, not to big political money.
Those who want a voice in government need first to know what’s happening. That’s why a private gathering of the governor and the Legislature is emblematic rather than trivial.
Californians know our state faces enormous financial challenges. Recent Field polls underscore their concern about the struggling economy and high unemployment.
Their elected leaders could show respect by including them in the discussion about how to solve budget problems and support economic recovery.
Schwarzenegger and the legislators might take notes from C.S., the state employee who e-mailed me, about responsibility and accountability.
Maybe they should invite him to their next lunch.