SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is steaming toward a special election he insists is necessary to return “power to the people.”

But it’s not clear “the people” understand why.

Two years after he was swept into office in a popular recall election, the Republican governor wants a special election to consider measures aimed at restricting state spending and curbing the influence of public employee unions.

Critics have questioned why he is forcing such a high-stakes showdown over issues that appear less than urgent, especially since the state’s next regularly scheduled election is little more than a year away.

“We don’t want a special election,” said Steve Maviglio, a spokesman for Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, who has emerged as one of the governor’s most frequent critics. “This is a corporate-funded effort to foist a bunch of issues on the electorate, none of which have any urgency.”

During a radio interview, Schwarzenegger said he would call a special election “no matter what.” He is raising millions of dollars in donations this weekend during a swing through Florida, Illinois and Texas.

Schwarzenegger is staking his political capital on three initiatives: a measure to delay tenure for teachers to help districts weed out poor ones; a plan to redraw congressional and state legislative districts; and an automatic cap on state spending.

So far, the prospect of an election has done little more than enrage Democrats and labor activists. Several county officials declared they cannot afford to shoulder their part of the $80 million cost. One county registrar said she would hold a special election only under court order.

“These initiatives are not life and death issues that have inflamed the imagination of the public,” said longtime Democratic strategist Garry South. “This is all being driven by testosterone – sticking the taxpayers with an $80 million election so Arnold can demonstrate his manhood.”

Democratic legislators have rebuffed talk of a legislative compromise on his initiatives. In radio interviews, Schwarzenegger said that true change will come only if the state’s political culture is fundamentally altered.

“That whole mess was created by the same people that are still sitting there in Sacramento,” Schwarzenegger said. “It’s the same unions, the same special interests, the same legislators. The only thing that changed a year and a half ago is the governor.”

Schwarzenegger’s chief political strategist said support for the governor’s “Year of Reform” initiatives will grow as he begins to counter-punch the union advertising that has attacked him in recent months.

“They’ve spent $20 million trashing Arnold, and he’s been holding essentially an olive branch the whole time,” strategist Mike Murphy said. “They are underestimating the public heat they’re going to feel when we get our side of the case out there.”

The biggest showdown could be over a so-called “paycheck protection” initiative, which would require labor unions to get permission from their members before using the money for political purposes. Schwarzenegger is expected to endorse the measure, which Democrats and union leaders have called a declaration of war on the labor movement.

Key to passing any of the initiatives Schwarzenegger supports will be his public appeal. While his popularity has dipped below 50 percent, he remains the most trusted politician in Sacramento, Murphy said.

“This will be a midterm referendum on him, and it will be seen as a vote of confidence in his leadership,” said political analyst Allan Hoffenblum. “If he wins, he’ll be untouchable. And if he loses, he’ll be in an enormously weakened position. That’s what he has to weigh.”

AP-ES-05-21-05 1500EDT