Governor Visiting Costco for Bargains on Signatures (California) [View All]

[Judi Lynn]

April 13, 2004
CALIFORNIA
Governor Visiting Costco for Bargains on Signatures
Wholesaler assists Schwarzenegger's petition drive to alter workers' comp.

By Peter Nicholas and Joe Mathews, Times Staff Writers


Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, bidding to dramatically cut business costs in the state, is turning to an unexpected ally: Costco, a no-frills, discount wholesaler known for selling its ketchup and tires in bulk.

To the surprise of many customers, he was at a store in Burbank on Monday shopping not for bargains, but for signatures to place on the November ballot an initiative that would overhaul the state's $20-billion workers' compensation system that aids workers injured on the job.

Trolling for signatures in shopping mall parking lots is commonplace. What's unusual is the partnership between the governor of California and the nation's 29th largest corporation that allows him to market his political agenda in the aisles of a giant warehouse store and with the help of its paid staff.

"It's extremely unusual in California politics and probably could not be duplicated by anyone other than a celebrity politician," said Harvey Englander, a Los Angeles political consultant.
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http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-costco13apr13,1,7753959.story?coll=la-headlines-california