Democrat officeholders, public employee unions and other assorted liberals complaining about the cost of this November's special election have been delighted to increase state spending from $68 billion under Gov. Pete Wilson to $117 billion today. Their outcry over a $45 million election is hypocritical. We waste that much daily on failed programs and interest payments on the debt they created under Gray Davis.

Special elections and initiative campaigns are necessary when members of the state Legislature, tucked into safe districts and immune from the consequences of their malpractice, fail to address important public policy issues. The current legislative majority is one of the most incompetent in history, intellectually incapable of dealing with the state's pressing issues. Thus, this November's special election is both necessary and vital to the state's future.

It is instructive to look back to 1998. Public employee unions financed campaigns of Democrats statewide and they won a huge victory, electing Gray Davis and increasing Democrat majorities in the Assembly and state Senate.

Finally, without Gov. Wilson's veto pen, the Democrats and their allies in the state's spending lobbies could have their way. In the four short years that followed, they implemented their version of utopian government, increasing the state budget from $68 billion to $100 billion annually, creating a $22 billion annual deficit, ruining the state's bond rating, destroying the workers' compensation system and driving employers out of the state. They gave drivers licenses to illegal aliens, implemented an idiotic paid family-leave law and passed scores of bills that undermined California's economy.

This was done in defiance of warnings from economists and experts worldwide urging restraint. Despite the spending binge, voters saw no improvement in the quality of California life. The same failed education system and crumbling infrastructure remained. California was heading over a cliff fast.

With their political donations, teachers, firefighters, law enforcement and nurses had a direct hand in creating this mess.

Turned state around

The historic recall election in 2003 saved California from permanent ruin. Gray Davis, the worst governor in California history, was voted out by close to 66% of Californians. In short order, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger reversed the car tax and overturned illegal alien drivers licenses. Next, he turned to initiatives to refinance the state's debt and staved off challenges to the Three Strikes law.

Last year, he teamed up with Sen. Chuck Poochigian to reform the workers' compensation system. California's employers, with renewed confidence in the state's political stability, began hiring again, and the state's economy has since been restored to health, as evidenced by booming tax revenues. We do not now, nor have we ever, had a revenue problem.

The liberals dominating the Legislature apparently have learned nothing from these successes, and offer no solutions to the state's remaining reform issues other than job killing tax increases. Because of this, the governor's agenda can only advance through the initiative process.

Three issues designed to advance the governor's agenda will be on the November ballot: The Live Within Our Means Act will create budgetary controls, limit spending increases and require a balance between revenue and expenditures. Liberals find this to be a radical idea. The Voter Empowerment Act will create more competitive legislative districts, taking the drawing of district lines and applying an even-handed, less partisan approach to who will represent each of us in Sacramento. The Put the Kids First Act will lengthen minimum teacher tenure qualification from two to five years -- a simple way to ensure teacher performance and quality prior to lifetime employment protection being granted to teachers who don't get good results.

Concerted campaign

Of course, there is considerable backlash to the governor's reform agenda. The spending lobbies and public employee unions have already spent $60 million on false messages over the airwaves, blasting the governor's reforms and driving his approval rating to its lowest point. Despite these attacks, he is still held in higher regard than the Legislature. This demonstrates that Californians know where the real problem lies.

All that stands in the way of California repeating the mistakes of the past and heading back over the cliff is the defeat of the governor's agenda. So if you want California the way it was: out of control spending, a flagging economy, benefits for illegal aliens and higher taxes, then vote against Gov. Schwarzenegger.

If not, join him in his fight. He has saved California from ruin, but he needs your help in completing his reform agenda. It will be the best $45 million we've ever spent.