Schwarzenegger to call another special session

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said he would call the Legislature back into session to solve the state's fiscal crisis.

"I will sign an executive order and call them in again for a special session to continue working on this problem," Schwarzenegger said Friday. " I believe that we can solve this before Christmas. I hope that the Legislature stays in the building, I hope that they continue negotiating, Democrats and Republicans."

Schwarzenegger made his announcement in the home town of both legislative Republican leaders. 

Schwarzenegger told Democrats Thursday he would veto their $18 billion budget proposal. Today, the governor went to Fresno, home of both Republican legislative leaders, to deliver another message.

Friday, the governor went on the offensive, taking the fight over the state budget into the homes of Republican leaders Sen. Dave Cogdill, R-Fresno, and Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines, R-Clovis.

Senate leader Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, will respond with a press conference of his own with a noon Capitol event. Steinberg will be joined by state Treasurer Bill Lockyer.

Schwarzenegger’s photo op will be at University High School in Fresno, a charter school that has been granted $18 million to begin construction on a new, 411-classroom facility. But construction on the project cannot being until legislators and the governor pass a budget plan, says Schwarzenegger spokesman Aaron McLear.

“It’s one of the recently approved projects that can’t go forward,” he said.

McLear said the location of the press conference was coincidental. "It has nothing to do with who's district it's in," he said. "It's something the governor decided he wanted to do last night."

A spokeswoman for Villines said the Assemblyman was in the district today, but did not know whether Villines would attend the Schwarzenegger press conference, or whether he had been invited to attend.

Cogdill spokeswoman Sabrina Lockhart said Cogdill is also in Fresno today, but “he is not planning on attending” the news conference.