Panetta will head state budget panel

[Snellius]

Davis picks the former Clinton aide to help find long-term fiscal solutions.

Gov. Gray Davis on Tuesday appointed Leon Panetta, President Clinton's chief of staff and budget director, to lead a new effort to find broad-based solutions to the state's fiscal woes.

But Panetta said that the real work won't start until voters decide on Oct. 7 whether Davis should continue as governor.

Panetta, a Democrat, said he hopes to put together a bipartisan team. Republicans who might take part would be unlikely to commit as long as the Governor's Office is in question, he said.

Once he assembles a commission of seven or eight members, Panetta said, he wants to work quickly to come up with recommendations by the January State of the State address, assuming Davis wins or that his replacement endorses the effort.

http://www.sacbee.com/content/politics/ca/budget/story/7345014p-8289077c.html

Normally this would not be LBN, but it's a brilliant move on Davis's part.

[hang a left]

1. oh yeah ah huh

ah huh ah huh

[dolstein]

2. Too bad he didn't do this six months ago

The budget crisis was just as bad back then.

[brook]

3. Great!

I think very highly of Panetta. I'm so happy to hear he's willing to take on the job. Wish he'd run for Govenor one day.

[realFedUp]

4. There is a state auditor...

Arnold didn't just invent the idea of an audit.

[roguevalley]

5. GO LEON!

The man can add. <G>