What does the governor of California do?
As governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s remit is massive. California is the richest state in the US and one of the world’s biggest economies. Mr Schwarzenegger will be the highest executive authority in the state government. He will decide: which legislation is signed into law (although if he vetoes legislation this can be overridden by the state assembly); who heads the agencies that implement policy; who sits on the California courts; and ensure that the state government runs smoothly. The governor is also in charge of submitting the state budget. Pulling together a budget plan by a 10 January deadline will be one of Mr Schwarzenegger’s most pressing tasks. State legislators failed to pass a budget for the financial year beginning on 1 July. While it is not the first time this has happened, it was made worse by the sheer scale of the state’s budget deficit, which is projected to be $38bn over two years. What are the main challenges facing the new governor? A budget crisis,
