However, the governor did sign another bill - SB 190 - to require more open meetings of the Regents of the University of California and the CSU Board of Trustees. The bill, by Sen. Leland Yee, D- San Francisco, focuses on public votes on pay hikes of top administrators.

In his veto message for AB 1413, Schwarzenegger said executive compensation contracts are currently approved in open meetings, and added the state should not "micro-manage" hiring practices in ways that may hamper the ability to hire good teachers and administrators.

However, he wrote, "there should be transparency in our educational systems so that the public has confidence in our institutions which is why I am signing SB 190."

In a prepared statement, CSU Chancellor Charles Reed said he was pleased the bill was not signed into law.

"The California State University's practice to vote on all executive compensation matters in public session and new limits adopted last year on executive transition programs rendered
AB 1413 largely redundant and unnecessary," he said.

California State University Employees Union (CSUEU) president Pat Gantt said he was "disappointed" with the veto of AB 1413.

CSU classified employees are fighting for a 3.57 percent cost-of-living adjustment. The Chancellor's office latest proposal calls for a 2.7 percent increase, with 1 percent set aside as "merit pay" for employees in hard-to-fill positions.

A mediation session to try to break the logjam over CSUEU salary negotiations is scheduled for Monday.

Vallejo Times-Herald, 10/13/2007