Where’s Burton?

Last year, Governor Schwarzenegger was known already the state as a compromiser. He threatened to go to the ballot with workers’ compensation, but ultimately settled the issue in a bipartisan compromise with the Democratically controlled legislature. There was, of course, the cigar-smoking tent, where all the deals went done. Many consider the workers’ compensation deal, in April of 2004, the high water mark for the Schwarzenegger administration. And at the negotiating table was then-Senate President Pro Tem John Burton, D-San Francisco, a fiery Capitol personality who has since been termed out of office. So does the Governor miss the feisty Democrat? It certainly sounds like he does: “First of all, let me just say that I have the utmost respect for our legislative leaders, and Burton was just, was just, a unique character. And he and I clicked because we had the same kind of sense of humor and also there was a cultural thing – that he was just a big fan of Austria; has been there, spoke German; and knew the foods; and delivered those foods to the office. It was a kind of a different kind of personality.” “And he also knew how to get to me, you know. And how to make me to spend more money than I actually wanted to spend. So, he was an expert in that also. So, but I mean I, you know, I’ve negotiated, I’ve talked a lot to Perata, Sen. Perata, and Speaker Núñez. I respect both of them and I’m looking forward to working with them in the future.” I wonder what the response is to that comment from Nunez’s and Perata’s offices as they are still trying (supposedly) to negotiate a last minute legislative compromise for the fall special election ballot.