Governor Calls Attacks by Honig Demagogic

Striking back at state Supt. of Public Instruction Bill Honig’s attacks on his budget proposal, Gov. George Deukmejian Wednesday lumped Honig in with what he called the capital’s irresponsible, demagogic snake-oil salesmen.

Deukmejian also used such unflattering terms as “high roller” and “budget buster” to describe Honig and other critics of the $39-billion state spending plan he proposed last week for the fiscal year beginning July 1.

Honig repeatedly has assailed the Republican governor’s budget as “a disaster” for education and, on Tuesday, announced that he will try to mobilize 2 million parents to fight it.

Deukmejian and Honig treated each other with kid gloves during their first terms in office. But now, as they begin their second terms, the two suddenly have become the biggest antagonists in state government--prompting speculation that Honig may be getting politically ambitious, with thoughts of running for Deukmejian’s job in four years.

Honig’s voter registration is “decline to state” because the position of superintendent of public instruction officially is nonpartisan. But he used to be a registered Democrat and his fiscal philosophy clearly leans in that direction.

Queried by reporters Wednesday about possible political motivations, Honig replied: “I just got reelected to fight for quality education. I’m going to do my job. . . . The governor and I had a good partnership going for a couple of years. We really were working for the betterment of the schools. To me, this (Deukmejian budget) is a complete reversal.”

A Deukmejian aide, who asked not to be identified, described the governor as “genuinely irritated and upset” at Honig because of his recent attacks. The aide added, “I have rarely seen George Deukmejian upset about anything. He hardly ever loses his temper.”

Deukmejian’s verbal blast at Honig, who until Wednesday had been virtually immune from gubernatorial criticism, also seemed to be a message that if the ostensibly nonpartisan school chief persists in taking political shots, he can expect to get banged around himself.

The governor devoted most of a Capitol press conference to defending his budget and denouncing its critics, particularly Honig. Only the school chief was mentioned by name.

‘Not Democracy’

“The high rollers in the state Capitol lament the budget,” Deukmejian began, reading a lengthy prepared statement. “They call for more spending but they never call for increasing taxes or they never suggest where cuts can be made in other parts of the budget. . . . That’s not leadership. That’s not democracy. That is demagoguery. . . .

“The high rollers and the budget busters, they offer no solutions. They offer no leadership. All they are offering is a little bit of snake oil.”

Responding to a question about whether Honig’s criticism was motivated by political ambition, Deukmejian said:

“I don’t know what his (political) plans are, but I do know that when someone goes out and tries to stir up the emotions of individuals like apparently he’s decided to do (without coming to me and asking), ‘What can we possibly do to work together on this?’. . . he’s acting very irresponsibly.

“And when he says he’s going to go up and down the state and he’s going to enlist the aid of millions of people . . . and he’s going to distort the facts and mislead the people, I think if you look up the word ‘demagoguery’ in the dictionary, you’ll see that it fits. . . .”

‘Extreme Statements’

Later, Deukmejian added: “And for Bill Honig to go out and to now claim that my program is a ‘disaster’ and all of these other kinds of exaggerated, extreme types of statements that he’s making, I think it is totally irresponsible. . . .

“He and the people in his (education) department could perhaps try to devote a little more time and attention and focus on how the dollars that are available can be used more wisely.”

Honig, asked to respond to the governor’s harsh words, told reporters: “I’m just not going to get into name-calling. What I’m going to stick to are the facts.”

Deukmejian and Honig, of course, point to different statistics in an effort to prove their points about the proposed education budget.

Deukmejian repeated Wednesday that his proposals for kindergarten through 12th grade would increase spending by roughly 4%. Honig points out that almost half of this increase comes not from the state, but from local property tax revenue. Lottery revenue also is included in the percentage. Beyond that, Honig notes, the 2.2% state increase would go into effect only for the last half of the fiscal year--meaning it actually would be just 1.1% for the entire year.

Deukmejian pointed out that over the past four years, spending per pupil under his Administration has increased by almost $1,000. But, Honig notes, spending in “real dollars”--after accounting for inflation--actually would drop by $29 per pupil under Deukmejian’s budget.

The governor said: “It’s easy for Bill Honig or anyone else to get up and to criticize and yet offer no solutions whatsoever. What we’re saying is that we’re recognizing what our limitations are: No. 1, a spending limit imposed by the people. No. 2, a reduction in revenues coming into the state at this particular time.”

In addition to attacking Deukmejian’s budget last week, Honig announced that he will sponsor a 1988 ballot measure to raise a state spending limit imposed by voters in 1979. Although the effect of that limit has not yet been felt by state government, it is expected to have a big impact in the next year or two. The limit--based on a formula devised by combining population growth and inflation--generally is supported by Republicans while Democrats refrain from criticizing it for fear of a political backlash. Among major officeholders, only Honig has attacked it publicly.

Deukmejian said: “We should not be tinkering with that spending limit at this point. . . . If, in fact, we ever get to a point where we see that it isn’t going to work, that would be a time to take a look at it. But certainly this is not the time.”

Democratic leaders in the Legislature have said they will attempt to get more money for education and other programs by raiding Deukmejian’s proposed $1-billion budget reserve. But Deukmejian served notice that he is determined to resist that move. “I don’t think any major operation of this magnitude can operate without having a prudent reserve,” he said.

A panel OKd restoring $53 million in school funds. Page 3.