It was politics as usual, as usual, for Gov. Gray Davis on
Wednesday. In his State of the State address Davis tried to sound
strong by saying his budget “makes hard choices” and
that his efforts to create more jobs “faced the problem
head-on,” but Davis’ tough language masks the same old
rhetoric.
At the beginning of his second term, Davis is a man trapped
trying to solve problems that exceed his grasp. His past decisions,
combined with California’s frequent elections and politician
turnaround, have made a mess out of the state economy.
On Wednesday Davis told residents his immediate priority was
“jobs, more jobs, and even more jobs,” and that he
would focus on raising revenue and cutting spending to deal with
California’s record $35 billion deficit.
Unfortunately, California is in a deeper hole than Davis can
fill before his term is over. The state economy is crippled. Too
many Californians are unemployed. Because there are no easy
answers, Davis cannot afford to be short-sighted.
A lack of long-term awareness and planning is the primary
culprit for California’s roller-coaster economy. Student fees
that were lowered when Davis took office have been raised by $405
annually to make up for the deficit. Davis could have lessened
California’s economic blow from the energy crisis by saving
some of the $12 billion surplus he inherited. But because of his
short-sightedness we do not have a long-term energy solution, and a
water crisis may be next.
But Davis alone should not shoulder the blame for
California’s economic problems. He is also a victim of the
state’s political system. In California, term limits do not
give elected officials a reason to think long-term. Short terms in
office and the political money machine create politicians who look
for quick but fleeting solutions to serious problems and draw the
public’s attention to more media-friendly issues. In his
speech, Davis sought public approval by proposing a permanent yet
unnecessary state Homeland Security office, and by highlighting the
work of UCLA scientists who were able to save the life of
10-year-old Anies Garcia.
Davis also offered more suspect solutions to California’s
long-term problems. He said 68,000 jobs will be created by speeding
up construction on UC Merced ““ which was supposed to be
completed in 1989 ““ and by his “Build California”
program, which accelerates construction on freeways and public
transit projects. As great as 68,000 new jobs sounds, it is small
given California’s population of over 30 million.
The best part of Davis’ plan, though, was to make major
changes in tax collection “to insulate (California) from
swings in the economy.” If he can keep California’s
economy protected from inevitable economic swings, Davis can
prevent widespread budget cuts and lay-offs when a crisis
comparable to the energy crisis arises.
In his second term Davis needs to break out of his political
mold. He should listen to experts on energy, water and economics
until he crafts long-term solutions, instead of caving into
political pressure to please everyone and fund his campaign. Until
Davis becomes focused on the long-term he will be known as a
failure in the short-term.