California Legislators Irate At Schwarzenegger For Vetoing 35 Percent Of Bills

Sacramento, CA (AHN) - California broke two state records in the past two weeks. First was the almost three month delay before the state budget was passed. Second was California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's veto of 415 bills of 1,187 pending measures.

State legislators are not happy with the governor's 35 percent veto rate, the highest since local officials starting monitoring the bill rejection rate since Ronald Reagan sat as California governor.

Angry lawmakers vowed to make life difficult for the governor next year when the state goes through the whole process of passing another budget. Assembly Speaker Karen Bass was more conciliatory. Bass said she hopes Schwarzenegger and lawmakers would be able to set aside the rancor created by the budget impasse and bill vetoes in the interest of California residents.

The governor's spokesman Aaron McLear pointed out each bill was evaluated by Schwarzenegger on its own merit. "Obviously when you have the latest budget (ever) passed by the legislature that will have an effect on the legislative process including the bill-signing period. We had 11 days to do what other governors in history had 30 days to do," McLear explained to media.

Schwarzenegger told the San Francisco Chronicle he focused on big-ticket bill and vetoed the "Mickey Mouse bills."