NewsMax Wires and NewsMax.com
Thursday, Sept. 25, 2003

Concerns that the Golden State's business climate had been ruined and state spending was out of control provided fodder for the debate, which was considered critical to the Oct. 7 election because it was televised statewide and was the only debate Republican frontrunner Arnold Schwarzenegger chose to attend.

Schwarzenegger repeated his vow to curb taxes and spending in order to attract companies and boost employment in the state.

Fellow Republican State Sen. Tom McClintock promised no new taxes while Democrat Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante and the Green Party's Peter Camejo indicated they would hike taxes on higher-income residents.

Independent Arianna Huffington promised to overhaul Proposition 13, which she said unfairly preserved rock-bottom property tax rates for the wealthy.

Although the debate was planned to be almost scripted with the candidates prepared to answer questions they had been given in advance, the moderator had his hands full keeping the debaters on issue.

Bustamante began a couple of his statements with "Arnold, I know you don't know it..."

Huffington remarked at one point, "We know the way you treat women." The retort evoked a groan from the audience. She also accused Arnold of pandering to the Pete Wilson camp.

Schwarzenegger grinned and responded, "I have a perfect part for you in Terminator Four."

Lt. Gov. Bustamante, when handling the question on the California budget crisis, admitted, "We spent too much -- more than was coming in. This is not rocket science."

Bustamante also defended the state of the state, describing that California has had many new business start-ups and that its economy was equal to Texas and Florida combined.

"We've done the easy things, now it's time to do the hard things," said Bustamante, adding that when he is governor he will indeed raise taxes to close the deficit -- on alcohol, tobacco, and those in the high income brackets.

Schwarzenegger blamed much of the economic woes on the workman's compensation issue, saying that California companies were paying three times the national average. "That's why business is moving out."

Camejo, a Green candidate, said that if elected he would immediately demand a five-year audit to discover where all the money went that has resulted in a surplus evolving to a deficit.

McClintock noted that billions could be quickly saved by a reorganization of the state's agencies. Referring to Bustamante's plan to raise certain taxes, he said that former Republican governor Pete Wilson raised taxes but that the move actually resulted in less revenue.

All candidates agreed that the controversial state car tax needed to go.

On health care, Bustamante said that the state's financial state made it a cold fact that "we can't get there [universial health care] at this time."

As to health care for illegal immigrants, McClintock took the only hard line, saying, "We can't reward illegal immigrant for breaking the law."

On education, Schwarzenegger accused Bustamante and Davis of cutting 122 million textbooks.

Bustamante retorted that he was the author of the state's textbook bill.

At one point a flustered moderator called Arnold "Governor Schwarzenegger."

Copyright 2003 by United Press International.

All rights reserved.

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