STATE DEMOCRATS VOW TO WORK WITH GOVERNOR TO TWEAK PLANS.

Byline: Harrison Sheppard Sacramento Bureau

SACRAMENTO - Assembly Democrats pledged on Thursday to make education their top priority this year, vowing to shift money from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's budget and $222 billion Strategic Growth Plan while not letting election-year politics interfere with progress on issues.

The Assembly's Democratic caucus just returned from a 2 1/2-day retreat in Monterey, where they formulated strategies and responses to the governor's plans.

Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, D-Los Angeles, vowed that Democrats would not allow election-year politics to interfere with their ability to work with the Republican governor.

``We also believe firmly that even though it is an election year, we want to work to improve upon the standard of living of this state,'' he said.

``If that means we're going to work closely with the governor this year to get things done and that might help him in his re-election, so be it.''

Democrats said they will be looking to make school funding a greater priority in both the bond proposals and the budget.

They also want to add more environmentally friendly elements to the governor's infrastructure bond plan, and look for ways to lessen the bonds' long-term impact on the general fund. They also plan to oppose his budget cuts to social service programs.

Some Democrats also said they had concerns about the governor's plan to fund after-school programs under Proposition 49 by $428 million and would consider looking at a ballot measure to modify the proposition.

They also said they would not support a plan that makes commitments beyond two election cycles. The governor's plan calls for $222 billion in infrastructure work over 10 years, including a series of bond measures to be placed on the ballot every two years.

H.D. Palmer, spokesman for the Department of Finance, said the governor has already made education a top priority by increasing the schools budget, including more money to recruit teachers to low-performing schools, improving school nutrition and physical fitness, and restoring funds to arts and music education.

``The top budget priority for this governor has been, is and will continue to be education,'' Palmer said.

He added that the governor has addressed environmental concerns in his growth plan by including funds to reduce pollution and improve air quality.

Schwarzenegger helped write and pass Proposition 49 before he was governor, and Palmer said he has no interest in modifying or delaying funding under it.

Harrison Sheppard, [phone]

harrison.sheppard(at)dailynews.com