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California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Tuesday kicked off a campaign to get voter support for a bipartisan $37 billion bond measure while at the same time gearing up for a divisive showdown with Democrats in the governor's election race.
The action star turned Republican governor teamed up with California state Democrats, business and labor leaders to promote the ambitious infrastructure bonds on the November ballot that would finance highway expansion, improve public transit, build more houses, upgrade schools and strengthen the state's dilapidated levees.
The measures were put on the ballot by California's Democractic-led legislature after lawmakers put partisan bickering aside and agreed on the plan aimed at rebuilding the state for the next generation.
"Everyone is excited about rebuilding California, Democrats, Republicans, business leaders, labor. Everyone wants to have it done so we can live up to a 100 percent of our potential," Schwarzenegger told a news conference after a fund-raising breakfast on the issue with Democrats.
"I think it is the most bipartisan year even though it is election year," he added.
Opinion polls have shown mixed enthusiasm for the measures and the Rebuild California Plan umbrella group has bought $4 million in TV advertising in the final two weeks of campaigning.
Schwarzenegger's overtures to the Democrats on the infrastructure bonds are in sharp contrast to the gubernatorial campaign where he will take on challenger and California state Treasurer Phil Angelides in a live televised debate on Sunday.
Angelides, running on an anti-Iraq warwar platform, is attempting to tie Schwarzenegger to President George W. Bush, who is unpopular in California.
But the effort shows little sign of succeeding so far. Two polls released last week showed Schwarzenegger widening his lead over Angelides. One survey put Schwarzenegger 17 percentage points ahead, and the other 10 points.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061004/pl_nm/schwarzenegger_dc
The action star turned Republican governor teamed up with California state Democrats, business and labor leaders to promote the ambitious infrastructure bonds on the November ballot that would finance highway expansion, improve public transit, build more houses, upgrade schools and strengthen the state's dilapidated levees.
The measures were put on the ballot by California's Democractic-led legislature after lawmakers put partisan bickering aside and agreed on the plan aimed at rebuilding the state for the next generation.
"Everyone is excited about rebuilding California, Democrats, Republicans, business leaders, labor. Everyone wants to have it done so we can live up to a 100 percent of our potential," Schwarzenegger told a news conference after a fund-raising breakfast on the issue with Democrats.
"I think it is the most bipartisan year even though it is election year," he added.
Opinion polls have shown mixed enthusiasm for the measures and the Rebuild California Plan umbrella group has bought $4 million in TV advertising in the final two weeks of campaigning.
Schwarzenegger's overtures to the Democrats on the infrastructure bonds are in sharp contrast to the gubernatorial campaign where he will take on challenger and California state Treasurer Phil Angelides in a live televised debate on Sunday.
Angelides, running on an anti-Iraq warwar platform, is attempting to tie Schwarzenegger to President George W. Bush, who is unpopular in California.
But the effort shows little sign of succeeding so far. Two polls released last week showed Schwarzenegger widening his lead over Angelides. One survey put Schwarzenegger 17 percentage points ahead, and the other 10 points.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061004/pl_nm/schwarzenegger_dc
