ARNOLD AIDES COULD FACE TERMINATION NOT PUMPED UP ABOUT BUDGET?Byline: David M. Drucker Sacramento Bureau SACRAMENTO - Executive branch employees, accused of failing to vigorously promote Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's budget proposals before the Legislature, were warned by the administration this week to shape up or ship out. Mike Genest, the Republican governor's deputy finance director, issued an e-mail titled ``Aggressiveness'' directing employees to advocate the administration's views. ``I've had reports that some departmental staff and even (Department of Finance) staff have seemed to back away, or at best provide lukewarm luke·warm adj. 1. Mildly warm; tepid. 2. Lacking conviction or enthusiasm; indifferent: gave only lukewarm support to the incumbent candidate. support for the governor's proposals,'' Genest wrote. ``Please talk to your staff ... and make sure they understand that the appropriate choices are between aggressive support for our proposals and an immediate career change.'' The warning follows complaints from Republican lawmakers and their assistants, who said some officials responsible for explaining and promoting the budget proposals seemed unenthusiastic about them. They point to a state Senate committee hearing last week on the Department of Mental Health. Staffers from that agency were seen hugging and congratulating opponents to the administration's spending cuts Noun 1. spending cut - the act of reducing spending cut - the act of reducing the amount or number; "the mayor proposed extensive cuts in the city budget" . During committee testimony, Sen. Tom McClintock Thomas Miller "Tom" McClintock (born July 10, 1956 in White Plains, New York) is a California State Senator. He ran for Governor of California in the 2003 California recall election of Gray Davis and finished third out of 135 candidates with 13.5% of the overall vote. , R-Thousand Oaks, chastised chas·tise tr.v. chas·tised, chas·tis·ing, chas·tis·es 1. To punish, as by beating. See Synonyms at punish. 2. To criticize severely; rebuke. 3. Archaic To purify. Mental Health Director Stephen W. Mayberg for failing to adequately tout Tout To promote a security in order to attract buyers. tout To foster interest in a particular company or security. For example, a broker might tout a security to a client in the hope that the client will purchase the security. the administration's proposal. ``It amazes me. You're supposed to be advocates of the administration. If you were advocating for me, I'd be real concerned. What are the arguments you're putting forward in favor of upon the side of; favorable to; for the advantage of. See also: favor these proposals? I'm not hearing any.'' Spokeswoman Nora Romero said McClintock might have mistaken Mayberg's style of being respectful re·spect·ful adj. Showing or marked by proper respect. re·spect  ful·ly adv. as opposed to confrontational. ``That doesn't mean that he or the department is wavering in their commitment to the governor's budget. We're part of the administration and we support the governor.'' Schwarzenegger has filled some top posts, but many others are filled by career civil servants. Chief budget spokesman H.D. Palmer downplayed the issue's importance but added: ``Every governor, Republican or Democrat, has a right to expect that his appointees will articulate, explain and defend the administration's policy.'' Assemblyman as·sem·bly·man n. A man who is a member of a legislative assembly. assemblyman Noun pl -men a member of a legislative assembly Noun 1. Lloyd Levine, D-Van Nuys, said state employees have done a good job. ``I think the administration is presenting proposals and there's some give-and-take. It's not a sell job, and that's the way it should be.'' David M. Drucker, (916) 442-5096 david.drucker(at)dailybulletin.com |
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