Wilson Takes Final Swing at Education Reform

This is it for Gov. Pete Wilson, the end of the game. Not only is it his last at-bat, it’s his last swing.

It’s his last week to drive in runs, to produce legislation. He’s mainly playing for more education reforms, a school bond issue with construction finance reforms and a water bond that agriculture can support.

The 1997-98 legislative session--Wilson’s last as governor--will be history by next Monday. After that, his role in the Capitol will be essentially reactive--signing or vetoing bills. Even that ends Sept. 30 with the bill signing deadline. Then he takes down the pictures, packs up and stands by to hand over the keys to a new tenant in January.

Wilson still is playing hardball. On Friday, he vetoed $1.5 billion out of the state’s new $75.4-billion budget. He pared both beef and pork, especially targeting--in his view--demagogic Democrats and disloyal Republicans. But if legislators this week play ball his way, he’ll restore some of the money, maybe a few hundred million.

“I’m open to argument,” the governor told reporters Friday as he signed his final budget. “I intend to be deeply, personally involved in negotiations.”

“Extortion,” cried Senate leader John Burton (D-San Francisco).

Right, John. It’s also good hardball, played effectively by Wilson in the past. That’s how he got statewide, standardized testing of school students.

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But this time--and for the first time--Wilson is showing lame-duck syndrome. He still can reward and punish--sign and veto--but he’s a short-timer. There’s growing sentiment to just wait and deal with the next governor.

“We’re not going to negotiate with a gun to our heads,” asserts Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa (D-Los Angeles). “We’re willing to walk away.”

Yet, the rookie speaker quickly adds, “I know enough not to foreclose too much. You always have to be willing to talk.”

Burton himself is a veteran hardballer. Lately, he has been scuttling Wilson appointments that require Senate confirmation, including--last week--three coveted seats on the UC Board of Regents. “The next governor should have the opportunity to make these appointments,” he says.

Democratic leaders also are denying Wilson 40 new judgeship appointments the governor thought he had won last year as part of a deal to raise state employee salaries. The governor is holding back the wage hikes, demanding pay-for-performance reforms.

Declares a top Wilson aide: “If the Democrats think they’re going to put a gun to the governor’s head over 40 judges, they’ve miscalculated.”

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Wilson seems assured of knocking home at least one big run this week: A school bond.

Actually, this is a team effort--the governor, both houses and both parties. They’ve fought over school construction money all session. But, in the end, nobody wants to explain to voters why they neglected children in overcrowded, run-down classrooms.

As now drafted, the bond would be a record $9.2 billion, spent over four years. That’s one for Democrats. Wilson and Republicans get construction finance reforms, including a 50-50 money match by school districts and limits on developer fees.

The deadline for placing bonds on the November ballot is Thursday midnight.

Prospects are grimmer for a water bond. The goal is $1.5 billion, including $235 million to help San Diego County obtain Imperial Valley water. Wilson is a San Diegan, but he’s signaling that he’ll veto any bond that doesn’t contain $57 million for planning two off-stream storage reservoirs in Northern California. Without that, he fears, agriculture will oppose the bond measure.

But pro-environment legislators, backed by Burton, oppose siphoning off more northern water, even if the bond package does include Delta ecological fixes and flood control. To get their attention, Wilson vetoed some local parks projects from the budget, hinting he’d restore them if the Legislature passes a “balanced” water bond.

Wilson’s No. 1 priority is more education reforms. He wants to end so-called social promotions, require remedial instruction on weekends and during summer and bring in swat teams of experts to help low-performing schools. For the right deal, he’ll restore up to $250 million in vetoed funds.

There’s negotiating room. Reports aside, Wilson won’t push for private school vouchers.

One Democrat who objects to waiting for a new governor is Assembly Education Committee Chairwoman Kerry Mazzoni of San Rafael. “Now’s the time to move,” she says. “There’s such a public focus on education.”

Besides, it makes sense to pitch to a familiar batter. The next guy may be even more dangerous.