California Mayors Ask Governor for Their Money Back

Mayors from big cities across the State of California have signed a formal letter demanding that Sacramento restore funding for municipal governments that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has been using to cut the state's budget deficit.

Oakland's Ron Dellums, San Jose's Chuck Reed and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa all signed. So why not San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, who's publicly demanded the state pay up and has lambasted Schwarzenegger?

Because he's the mayor of both a city and a county, a spokesman explains, worried that more city money might come at the expense of county money.

"As the mayor of a city and county, he has greater areas of responsibility that have to be paid attention to in terms of state budget decisions," Tony Winnicker tells the San Francisco Chronicle.

He also just happens to be trying to get a job in Sacramento working for the state, and has ambitions to be the one raiding municipal coffers in the future.

Jackson West would be happy to add his signature.