Some birthdays get a little more recognition than others. In the rush of Christmas festivities, one of the easiest to miss is that of Mike Curb (turning 67 this December 24th). Of the twelve Lieutenant Governors to serve in the last forty-five years (since the legislature became fulltime), none fought as much with their Governor as Curb did with Jerry Brown during his second term as Governor.
Curb is probably best remembered for flexing the powers of the Lieutenant Governor’s office during Brown’s trips out of state. According to his website, as acting Governor, Curb signed more than 30 bills (including the bill creating the California Agriculture Commission) and proclamations and made 431 appointments. In fact, it wasn’t until nearly three decades after Curb left office before another Lieutenant Governor signed a bill into law.
A massive legal fight followed in which Brown challenged the ability of the the Lt. Governor to assume all the duties of Governor while the Governor was out of state. Brown lost, and the stature of the office of Lt. Governor grew… at least a little bit.
Curb has also been active in the entertainment industry, writing nearly 400 songs, 46 of which made it onto the Billboard charts, and winning the Billboard Producer of the Year award. His company, Curb Entertainment, has released 57 movies.
Happy Birthday, Mr. Curb.
EDITOR’S NOTE: A thank you to Mr. Paul for the recent reminder of the importance of a good deputy.
