Buzz City

Things are shaking in Sacramento nowadays. For the first time in 16 years, Democrats are preparing to take over the levers of power in the state capital. Resumes fly over fax lines. E-mail clogs computer circuits. Realtors rub their hands over flocks of buyers anxious to close escrows quickly. The political community waits on edge for word of Gov.-elect Gray Davis’ job appointments. Rumors take flight and are shot down within hours.

The GOP reign under Govs. George Deukmejian and Pete Wilson is over. Everyone knew that Wilson would have to leave office because of term limits, but the brigades of GOP stalwarts who occupy the upper-level state offices clung to hopes of a Dan Lungren victory. Now they too are updating resumes.

Even though Davis won big, by the largest margin since the Democratic victory of 1958, Democrats have to guard against hubris. They should not forget what happened to the Clinton administration in its first two years, veering off to the left with a massive health care plan and getting slapped down by the election of a Republican Congress in 1994. Davis ran as a moderate and says he will govern as a moderate. It’s a good sign that he is approaching the transition methodically--a pace that will thoroughly try the patience of most job seekers, and possibly the policymakers in the Legislature.

Davis will have the power to fill some 2,500 jobs spread across eight superagencies and more than 35 departments. But he wants to develop policies first and then find the right people to implement them. That will take time, though at the least he will have appointed his personal office staff and the eight Cabinet secretaries by the time he takes office Jan. 4. Democrats also picked up two other state offices held by Republicans--treasurer and attorney general--and increased their numbers in the Legislature by at least eight. More staff jobs there too.

But the changeover will affect more than just government jobs. Sacramento has about 1,000 registered lobbyists. Business may slacken for some of the big GOP-aligned companies and pick up for those with ties to Democrats.

Some hotels will gain favor and some will lose, especially those that have union troubles. The new crowd will seek out new bars and restaurants for after-hours hangouts. There will be fewer dark suits, white shirts and cigars around the Capitol; more beards, L.L. Bean shirts and Patagonia jackets. There will be more diversity everywhere. The Democrats probably will seek homes in older, tree-lined midtown, McKinley Park and Curtis Park--areas from which it’s possible to commute to work by bicycle or bus. Republicans tended toward the woodsy upscale tracts along American River Drive and in Fair Oaks and Carmichael.

In addition to filling jobs and setting his policy agenda, Davis must prepare an inaugural speech, write his first State of the State address and draft a new state budget by the first week in January. The decisions he makes in the next seven weeks will set the tone for his administration and the state.

All this will keep the workaholic Davis so busy he might be the one person in Sacramento not tuned in to the buzz being generated as power shifts to new hands.

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Few Party Turnovers

Governors, their parties and first inaugeration dates since 1943:

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Party Inaug. date Earl Warren R Jan. 1943 Goodwin J. Knight R Oct. 1953 Edmund G. “Pat” Brown D Jan. 1959 Ronald Reagan R Jan. 1967 Edmund G. “Jerry” Brown D Jan. 1975 George Deukmejian R Jan. 1983 Pete Wilson R Jan. 1991 Gray Davis D Jan. 1999

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