He has already started but it is very difficult. Most of the spending increases set up by Davis are non-discretionary.
There is no such beast. Any "non-discretionary" spending was placed off limits by agreement in the legislature or by initiative. It can be made "discretionary" again in the same way.
Claiming any spending is out of the power of the legislature to regulate is a lie. They simply lack the will or desire to do the difficult but necessary changes to law.
All of this was knowable prior to the recall election.
Nothing short of bankruptcy is going to cause Kalifornia to make the difficult choices. Arnold's support of the $15 billion "deficit bonds" simply pushed the date of bankruptcy back 12 months. There will have to be another $15 billion bond issue next year, or spending will have to be cut, or taxes will have to be raised.
If Arnold supports another bond issue, then that is what we will get.
Otherwise, if Arnold supports tax increases, then that is what we will get.
Spending cuts will never happen without court control of state spending brought about through state bankruptcy.