Arnie puts boot into California's debt

ARNOLD Schwarzenegger, the governor of California, has devised a novel way of raising funds for the cash-strapped state - a giant car boot sale. The massive spring clean of state property is part of the former Hollywood actor's campaign to flush out "the cobwebs of government". The resulting mountain of unwanted items - seized by police, confiscated at airports or simply outdated and unwanted - range from a Ford Mustang and three aircraft engines to 30lbs of assorted scissors and 3,000 light bulbs for traffic signals. They were being sold yesterday and today at the "California Garage Sale" in Sacramento, the state capital. Some of the items will also be offered on eBay. The ramshackle collection includes everything from the obvious - old office desks, discarded computers - to the intriguing - a used forklift truck, out-of-date colour film, diamond and gold jewellery and a large number of knives. Other items for sale also include a popcorn machine, a lemonade dispenser and an espresso machine. The eBay listings read like the prize list for the Generation Game: Panasonic camcorder, Nikon camera, cordless drill, digital scales. Much of the equipment has been stored in crates in a 187,500 sq ft warehouse leased by the Department of General Services. Some of it was bought by government agencies and fell into disuse; other items were seized at airport security checks or in official raids. Most of the goods "were just sitting here for years gathering dust", said State and Consumer Services Agency Secretary, Fred Aguiar. "Some of the stuff may have been taken in drug confiscations by the Department of Justice or local jurisdiction. Like the red Mustang - that was part of an asset seizure, forfeiture thing." Mr Aguiar said he did not know how much the sale would raise. But it is unlikely to be riches. Desks could go for as little as $2 and laptop computers for $20, he said. Under former governor Gray Davis, California, which has an economy roughly the same size as Britain's, had a $38bn budget deficit and debts of $27bn. (©Daily Telegraph, London) - Catherine Elsworthin Los Angeles