Arnold: 'Buck Stops With Me'

Gov. Schwarzenegger Takes Responsibility For Failure Of Initiatives

(AP) 
"Everybody understands that we've got to put down the boxing gloves and ... get some stuff done," Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez said after the 37-minute meeting.

Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata characterized the gathering as a nice day-after meeting.

"There was not a discordant word spoken. Everybody is saying we want to get together."

The tone in the meeting was a sharp change from the pre-election battles between the Republican governor and his Democratic opponents, who accused Schwarzenegger of trying to ram through ballot measures that would give him more power, punish his union critics and give Republicans more seats in the Legislature and California's congressional delegation.

The legislative leaders said they didn't discuss specifics on how to improve schools, solve the state's transportation problems or deal with other issues facing the state.

But Nunez said he thought Schwarzenegger, who will be running for re-election next year, "heard the message loud and clear Tuesday night." The governor, he said, talked like the candidate who won the 2003 recall election with a pledge to work in a bipartisan fashion in Sacramento.

"That's a very positive sign," Nunez added.

Republican Assembly Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said the governor and legislative leaders also discussed putting together legislation that would take redistricting duties away from the Legislature, despite the defeat of Proposition 77. That measure, soundly defeated by voters, was the governor's plan to give redistricting powers to a panel of retired judges and draw new districts for 2006 elections.

"I think the sooner we get it done the better off we are, the greater trust the public will have," McCarthy said.

Schwarzenegger said that Proposition 77 would have eliminated the conflict of interest created by having lawmakers draw their own districts. He complained that districts drawn by the Legislature after the 2000 census were designed to protect incumbents in both parties.