Honig, Governor to Meet Over Lunch After 6 Months of Fighting

After more than six months of exchanging bitter accusations over public school funding, Gov. George Deukmejian and state Supt. of Public Instruction Bill Honig have agreed to hold their first face-to-face meeting since February, it was learned Thursday.

The two political combatants will meet over lunch in the governor’s Capitol office Sept. 17 at Deukmejian’s invitation, and both sides have toned down their rhetoric in anticipation of the event.

“It was a welcome surprise,” Honig said of the luncheon invitation, which was relayed to him by Michael Frost, the governor’s chief of staff. “Given the history of the last six months, I think it’s a healthy sign that we are going to sit down and at least talk about things.”

Called Honig a ‘Demagogue’

Deukmejian, who had labeled Honig a “demagogue” and a “snake oil salesman” during their highly public feud over educational financing, reportedly has not laid out an agenda for the meeting.

Deukmejian’s press secretary, Kevin Brett, was restrained in describing the governor’s decision to resume discussions with the superintendent, but emphasized that Deukmejian was not backing down from his previous positions that angered Honig.

“The governor continues to disagree not only with (Honig’s) message but with the tone of the superintendent’s remarks,” Brett said. “But the governor recognizes that the 1987-88 budgetary process is over, and it’s time to move forward.”

Deukmejian has made it a practice of meeting yearly with each constitutional officer, including Honig, to discuss common concerns and plan for the following year’s budget. Honig and Deukmejian have not spoken face-to-face since February, a month after the superintendent began aggressively attacking the governor’s proposed budget as “a disaster for education.”

Heated Words on Radio Show

Since then, Deukmejian has refused to return Honig’s phone calls, although the two did exchange heated words in May when Honig made a surprise call to the governor during his guest appearance on a Los Angeles radio talk show.

While Deukmejian appears ready to offer the olive branch to his most vocal political foe, it is noteworthy that the meeting will come after all decisions on the present budget have been made and the Legislature has adjourned for the year.

Honig conceded that his meeting can do little to change the course of events for public schools in the current budget year. But he held out hope of convincing Deukmejian “that there are some real problems out there and that (the governor) needs to do something about them.”

The fight between Deukmejian and Honig has been costly politically for both officials, giving each ample reason to call a truce.

Honig’s Department of Education saw its budget cut by 10%, and many pet projects that were central to the superintendent’s drive to improve schools were slashed. Deukmejian also appointed a commission to investigate the public school system under Honig’s leadership.

Deukmejian, meanwhile, watched his support in the educational community dwindle while recent statewide polls show Californians siding with Honig in his campaign to spend state surplus money on schools rather than rebate the money to taxpayers.

Spokesman Brett, however, downplayed any political damage to the governor. Deukmejian, he said, “still remains one of the most popular governors in California history.”