Assembly GOP Leader Hones Balancing Act

One need only enter the office of Assembly Republican Leader Dave Cox and glance at the portraits of his predecessors to realize that Cox has accomplished something special.

There’s a photo of Bill Leonard of San Bernardino, who lasted as leader for a little more than 14 months, and one of Rod Pacheco of Riverside, who held the post for five months--a couple of weeks longer than Bill Campbell of Villa Park.

Leading the Assembly’s minority caucus is a task so difficult that state Sen. Ross Johnson of Irvine, who previously held the post, once described it as “walking through the minefield, juggling hand grenades and herding cats.” Previous leaders have either been ousted or have quit for issues ranging from not raising enough money to the caucus losing too many legislative districts during elections to being perceived as reluctant to take on Gov. Gray Davis.

When Cox, who hails from the Sacramento suburb of Fair Oaks, was chosen as leader in March 2001, he became the fifth GOP lawmaker to be tapped for the post within four years. Yet as he prepares to mark his 17th month in the job, Cox and his fractious caucus remain united against the Democrats’ $4-billion tax package.

Republicans are calling for a like amount of spending cuts to wipe out the need for tax hikes to help close a $23.6-billion budget gap.

GOP opposition to new taxes has pushed Cox and his conservative counterparts into the limelight in the Capitol, where a battle over the tax plan is holding up passage of a new state budget, which was due July 1. Democrats who control the Assembly need four of the 30 Republicans to vote with them to approve the plan.

That has got budget watchers wondering how long Cox, a former municipal utility board member and Sacramento County supervisor, can continue to hold his caucus together. Observers are intrigued that Cox, 64, has managed this long and believe he is on track to exceed Scott Baugh’s recent achievement of holding on to the Assembly Republican leadership post for 19 months.

“It’s surprising and a tribute to his tenacity,” said Steve Szalay, executive director of the California State Assn. of Counties. “Dave has taken on this very challenging and difficult role of minority leader the same way he has taken on problems at the local level where he was very skilled as a supervisor in Sacramento County.”

Kevin Gordon, executive director of the California Assn. of School Business Officials, describes Cox as a man who is easy to work with.

“Now we wish we could get a vote on the budget,” Gordon said. “But we know he doesn’t control all of the votes in his caucus.”

What Cox does get a nod for is possessing a willingness to reach out to his entire caucus, including its more conservative and outspoken members. Fans also cite his folksy charm and fascination with fiscal policy as assets. In a field littered with demonstrative characters, Cox is known as a listener.

“I would rather crawl across broken glass then play poker with Dave Cox,” said Dan Schnur, a GOP strategist who works with the Assembly Republican Caucus. “I have never seen anyone in politics better at keeping his cards close to his vest.”

Democrats cite the same trait, however, as a reason why Cox has proven to be a frustrating opponent in the current budget battle. They describe him as being unwilling to negotiate or compromise.

Assemblyman Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento), who is involved in budget matters for his caucus, describes Cox as a good and caring person. But Steinberg said it’s unfortunate that Cox and his caucus lack the ability to help sort through the state’s fiscal mess.

“The problem is that their consistent mantra is that there not be a dime of new revenue. That’s just unrealistic both in this year and in terms of solving the structural deficit.”

A multibillion drop in state revenues caused in part by the burst of the Silicon Valley tech bubble and a decline in the stock market have contributed to a $23.6-billion budget gap, which state officials are struggling to close.

During the current budget standoff, Cox has held regular meetings with reporters to remind them that the state has a spending problem created by Gov. Gray Davis and his fellow Democrats.

Cox recently compared Davis to a dog loose in a henhouse who’s taken to sucking eggs--an anecdote he conjured up to describe what he says is the governor’s bad habit of trying to peel off his members to get a budget approved rather than negotiating a deal with GOP leaders.

“We are not the ones holding this budget up,” Cox said. “The governor has got to get engaged. It’s unfortunate that his leadership style doesn’t allow him to get engaged in serious issues.”

Republicans cite the fact that California’s nonpartisan legislative analyst Elizabeth Hill is projecting revenue shortfalls of about $45 billion over the next five years as a reason why spending cuts--not tax hikes--are necessary for the state to start living within its means.

Democrats contend that taxes that were cut when times were good should now be allowed to rise to help keep the state out of the red. At stake, they contend, is the state’s ability to provide health care to the poor and cost of living increases to the blind, elderly and disabled. Cutting key services to eliminate the need for tax hikes, they add, is unacceptable.

“What Dave Cox wants, I can’t give,” said Assembly Speaker Herb Wesson (D-Culver City), who counts Cox as a friend. “What Dave wants destroys the core Democratic values, and that’s cuts of such a dramatic nature that it would devastate services that we feel strongly about providing.”

For his part, Cox credits his staff and leadership team for his success to date in keeping his caucus together in its fight for no new taxes.

“I’m not sure when you’re in the minority you have the ability to be dictatorial,” Cox said. “It has to be a participatory style because in order for you to accomplish anything you have to stick together.

“I’m enjoying the aspect that our cause remains united.”

Within his party, Cox is known as a communicator who works hard to keep members informed and feeling that they’re part of the caucus. Last year, for example, after four Assembly Republicans bolted from their caucus and voted with Democrats for the budget, Cox focused on bringing them back into the fold.

So far, he has succeeded with two of the four, including Assemblyman Anthony Pescetti of Rancho Cordova. Pescetti credits Cox and his staff with laying out the structural problems with the budget and for allowing everyone in the caucus to speak his mind.

“As contentious as it sometimes gets, when it’s all done, people are on the same page,” Pescetti said. “Dave puts a big emphasis on communication.”

That approach has helped Cox foster a healthy relationship with Senate Republican Leader Jim Brulte of Rancho Cucamonga.

“Other than when Bill Leonard was the Republican leader in the Assembly, I think I talk to Dave Cox on a daily basis more than I talked with previous Republican leaders on a weekly basis,” Brulte said.

Brulte tells a charming tale of when Cox was first tapped to be leader and told Brulte he wanted to work closely with him. Brulte in turn told Cox they’d be “joined at the hip.”

When Cox got wind that Brulte was planning on flying into California with newly elected President George W. Bush, Brulte said Cox showed up in his office and said: “I hear you’re flying into California with the president on Air Force One. What happened to us being joined at the hip?”

“We both flew on Air Force One into California with the president,” Brulte said.

During the plane ride, Brulte said Bush teased him by saying he had some bad news. Bush wanted to appoint Brulte to an ambassadorship, but so far he couldn’t find a country that wanted him.

Without missing a beat, Brulte recalled how Cox told Bush: “Mr. President, don’t give up.”

“He hasn’t been on Air Force One since,” Brulte noted with a chuckle.