http://www.insidebayarea.com/search/ci_3071564

Berkeley doctor launches Arnold recall
Proposed petition should be to secretary of state next week
By Josh Richman, STAFF WRITER



Perhaps it was only a matter of time: A Berkeley physician announced Wednesday that he will soon start circulating a petition to recall Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
"I felt that I've helped the poor take one step forward in my medical practice, but the governor makes them take four steps backward," Dr. Kenneth Matsumura said, claiming Schwarzenegger has ignored the state's struggling schools and inadequate health care while waging war on public workers such as police and firefighters.


Matsumura, 60, said he will deliver a proposed petition to the secretary of state's office in Sacramento as early as next week; once it is approved, he will have 160 days to collect at least about 1.04 million valid signatures of registered voters. He has created a Web site, http://www.savecalnow.com, to start signing up volunteers and taking donations.

The 2003 petition drive to recall Gov. Gray Davis soon after his election to a second term did not take off in earnest until U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista, contributed $1.7 million to pay signature gatherers.

But Matsumura said Schwarzenegger "is going to be surprised by a historical grass-roots turnout for this ... I'm hoping we don't have to go to paid signature gatherers, but I'm not proud â€â€