In a surprise campus visit, Arnold Schwarzenegger previewed what will likely be the priorities of his second term yesterday. The governor trumpeted his first-term accomplishments and told a technology forum in a packed Memorial Auditorium that California was once again on the right track.

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Alvin Chow

Newly re-elected governor Arnold Schwarzenegger made a surprise visit to the Technet Innovation Summit 2006 yesterday.

“For the first time in years, the people are seeing tangible results from state government,” Schwarzenegger said. “Of course, we still have many tough challenges for 2007 and way beyond that.”

Schwarzenegger met with Bill Gates, a participant in the TechNet Innovation Summit, for 15 minutes after his speech. The governor then had lunch in the Lou Henry Hoover building, adjacent to Hoover Tower, with fellows from the think tank.

“We’re delighted to have him back after his re-election,” said President John Hennessy.

The governor, wearing a soft green tie, struck a positive tone and joked with technology leaders and Stanford students about recent weight gains.

The Governator had the swagger back in his step after trouncing Democrat Phil Angelides in last week’s gubernatorial election. Schwarzenegger previewed the highlights of his post-election agenda and indicated he will be prepared to spend his political capital on potentially controversial measures like redistricting.

“We must have political reform,” he said. “The people demand honest government and competitive legislative districts so that politicians can never take their constituents for granted.”

He also echoed some of the recurring themes from stump speeches throughout his campaign.

“We still have to fix health care to come up with new and efficient ways that people really need,” he said. “We have to make education more accountable, provide parents with more information so that parents can really choose the best schools for their children.”

Schwarzenegger campaigned with the Democratic leadership in the legislature to pass a series of bonds on the Nov. 7 ballot.

“I was determined that California would get back its shine and its status as the most wonderful place in the world, that we could become again the Golden State,” he said, standing behind a mahogany podium and flanked by a Californian and American flag. “Voters responded overwhelmingly and approved this record investment of $42 billion in California’s future.”

The state’s 37 million residents, he said, are using an infrastructure intended for 20 million.

“Now the most important thing is we’ve got to start rebuilding California,” he said. “As soon as the money becomes available, I want to build, build and build because I want to see cranes everywhere in California.”

While the governor communicated a positive message about his vision for the future of California, the state’s nonpartisan legislative analyst warned Wednesday that the state will have a $5.5 billion deficit next year. These budgetary challenges, expected to last through the end of the decade, will certainly pose problems for the governor.

But fiscal concerns seemed far from the governor’s mind yesterday.

“California is building, and California is leading,” he said. “As a matter of fact, California is number one again.”