California Lieutenant Governor

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The Lieutenant Governor of California is a statewide constitutional officer elected separately from the California Governor who serves as the "vice-executive" of California. The lieutenant governor of California is elected to serve a four year term and can serve a maximum of two terms. In addition to basically ceremonial roles, serving as acting governor in the absence of the governor, and as President of the California State Senate, the lieutenant governor either sits on, or appoints representatives to, many of California's regulatory commissions and executive agencies. California has had 41 lieutenant governors and five acting lieutenant governors since achieving statehood in 1850.

The position of Lieutenant Governor of California became vacant in November 2009 when Democrat John Garamendi was elected to the U.S. Congress.^[1] Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced on November 23 that he will be appointing Abel Maldonado to fill the job. Members of the California State Legislature have 90 days to weigh in on the appointment of Maldonado.

2010 election

Republican state senators Samuel Aanestad and Jeff Denham, and Democratic state senator Dean Florez are announced candidates for the Lieutenant Governor of California seat in the 2010 elections.^[1]

Responsibilities

The lieutenant governor sits on the UC Board of Regents, CSU Board of Trustees, Ocean Protection Council, the California Emergency Council, and the State Lands Commission.^[2]

The lieutenant governor of California chairs the Commission for Economic Development which is responsible for fostering economic growth in California by developing and implementing strategies for attracting new business to the state, increasing state exports, creating new jobs, and stimulating industries statewide.

Many California projects created through gubernatorial executive orders, or through the initiative process, include a role for the lieutenant governor. For example, the lieutenant governor serves on the Agriculture-Water Transition Task Force (created by Governor Gray Davis), and five of the twenty-nine members of the oversight committee of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine are appointed by the lieutenant governor.

Salary

The Lieutenant Governor of California is paid $159,134. On December 7, 2009, the pay level will decrease to $151,127.^[3]

Criticism of the office

Some academics and scholars such as Roger E. Noll and Bruce Cain in Constitutional Reform in California have criticized constitutional offices like the lieutenant governor because of their low visibility among the electorate that can make it difficult for the electorate to hold constitutional officers like the lieutenant governor responsible for their actions. The lieutenant governor of California has only few minor responsibilities and thus it might benefit California if the governor and the lieutenant governor ran on the same ticket. The lieutenant governor position could potentially help the governor implement his or her policies.

Contact information

Capitol Office
State Capitol, Room 1114
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916-445-8994
Fax: 916-323-4998

See also

• Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi
• California Governor
• California Attorney General
• California Secretary of State

External links

• Office of the Lieutenant Governor website

References

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Sacramento Bee, "Schwarzenegger picks Maldonado for lieutenant governor", November 23, 2009
2. ↑ BeyondChron, "What Should Really Matter in the Maldonado Confirmation", December 7, 2009
3. ↑ Sacramento Bee, "Salaries of elected officials", November 20, 2009

v • d • e Current Lieutenant Governors     AL: Jim Folsom, Jr. AK: Craig Campbell AZ: No office AR: Bill Halter CA: Abel Maldonado CO: Barbara O'Brien CT: Michael Fedele DE: Matthew P. Denn FL: Jeff Kottkamp GA: Casey Cagle HI: James Aiona ID: Brad Little IL: Vacant IN: Becky Skillman IA: Patty Judge KS: Troy Findley KY: Daniel Mongiardo LA: Mitch Landrieu ME: No office MD: Anthony G. Brown MA: Tim Murray MI: John D. Cherry MN: Carol Molnau MS: Phil Bryant MO: Peter Kinder MT: John Bohlinger NE: Rick Sheehy NV: Brian Krolicki NH: No office NJ: Kim Guadagno NM: Diane Denish NY: Vacant NC: Walter H. Dalton ND: Jack Dalrymple OH: Lee Fisher OK: Jari Askins OR: No office PA: Joe Scarnati RI: Elizabeth H. Roberts SC: André Bauer SD: Dennis Daugaard TN: Ron Ramsey TX: David Dewhurst UT: Gregory Bell VT: Brian Dubie VA: Bill Bolling WA: Brad Owen WV: No office WI: Barbara Lawton WY: No office Lieutenant Governor elections, 2010

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Portions of this article were adapted from Wikipedia's article on the Lieutenant Governor of California.