Milestones in Schwarzenegger’s first year

Saturday, Nov. 13, 2004 | 9:11 a.m.

Milestones in Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's first year in office:

- Swearing-in ceremony, Nov. 17, 2003.

- Signs executive order repealing unpopular tripling of car tax, Nov. 17.

- Calls special session of Legislature to deal with budget problems, to repeal law giving driver's licenses to illegal immigrants and to reform workers' compensation system, Nov. 17.

- Signs repeal of driver's license law, Dec. 4.

- Legislature approves governor's fiscal recovery plan that includes putting $15 billion bond measure and spending cap limit before voters, Dec. 12.

- Schwarzenegger bypasses Legislature and invokes emergency powers to make $40 million payment to cities and counties, Dec. 18.

- Delivers first State of the State speech, where he outlines priorities to improve the state's economy, reorganize the bureaucracy and solve the budget problems without new taxes, Jan. 7.

- Releases $99.1 billion budget proposal that relied on a mix of borrowing, one-time solutions and spending cuts to public health and social services to balance, Jan. 9.

- Schwarzenegger begins campaign in support of Propositions 57 and 58 - $15 billion bond measure and spending cap - as polls show voters skeptical of both, Jan. 20.

- Schwarzenegger denies clemency to convicted murderer Kevin Cooper, Jan. 30.

- Creates California Performance Review, a committee of more than 200 state workers and consultants charged with reorganizing the state bureaucracy to be more efficient, Feb. 10.

- Orders California's Attorney General Bill Lockyer to take legal action to stop San Francisco from granting marriage licenses to gay couples, Feb. 20.

- Voters approve Propositions 57 and 58, March 2.

- Overhaul of workers' compensation system signed into law, April 19.

- Visits Tel Aviv to help dedicate museum of religious tolerance, May 1.

- Releases revised budget that includes fewer cuts and more borrowing, May 13.

- California credit rating upgraded, first time in four years, May 21.

- Signs tribal gambling agreements that will generate $1 billion for state, June 21.

- Budget negotiations stall, fiscal year ends without a spending plan in place for ninth time in 11 years, July 2.

- Calls Democratic leaders "girlie men" because of budget impasse, July 17.

- Agreement reached with lawmakers on $105 billion budget, July 26.

- Budget signed into law, July 31.

- Releases report from California Performance Review that includes 1,200 recommendations for saving the state tens of billions of dollars over five years, Aug. 3.

- Legislative session ends, more than 800 bills come to the governor's desk for his signature or veto.

- Bill signing session ends in flurry of 71 vetoes by governor including measures that would have helped Californians buy low-cost Canadian drugs, given some protections to car buyers and limited homeowner association foreclosures, Sept. 30.

- Begins airing TV ads opposing Propositions 68 and 70, measures that would greatly expand gambling in state, Oct. 5.

- Campaigns in support of Stockton Mayor Gary Podesto, one of a dozen GOP candidates the governor endorses in the November election, Oct. 26.

- Voters give governor mixed results on election day - supporting him on 11 of the 15 ballot measures he took positions, but rejecting all but four of the 16 GOP legislative candidates.

- Takes trade mission to Japan, Nov. 10.

Source: Associated Press, governor's office.