June 18, 2001 – As Sen. Lorraine Berry sees it, her fellow Democrat, Charles W. Turnbull, has kicked off his campaign for a second term as governor.
In a release Monday evening, Berry said she is "astonished at the change that has taken place" in Turnbull in the last six months, "apparently hinged on his desire for another term in office," despite his having promised in his 1998 campaign that he would serve for only four years.
She was especially indignant at the governor's reason given at a press conference earlier Monday for his having met with the Senate majority bloc but not with the non-majority legislators a week ago before announcing a tax windfall of $100 million and his plans to use $30 million of it to bring government workers on step.
"Can you imagine his daring to say he didn't include us in the momentous meeting regarding dispensation of this windfall because he couldn't reach us because of time constraints?" Berry railed in the release.
While lauding the cost-saving measures cited by Turnbull at the press conference, Berry took issue with what she termed his "failure to rightfully attribute the recent windfall obtained from two investors as being responsible for his proposal."
The "one million here, the two million there that the governor saved from austerity measures were obviously used to keep the government payroll afloat," Berry said. "As recently as May and June, the governor told the Legislature the government couldn't afford certain appropriations … It was only when two huge sums were deposited into the treasury that the step proposal became possible."
