California: George Plescia

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has appointed yet another termed-out lawmaker to a six-figure post in state government, his sixth such appointment in recent months.

The latest appointee, former GOP Assemblywoman Sharon Runner, will earn $128,109 as a member of the Agricultural Labor Relations Board, which meets once a month.

The Schwarzenegger appointments -- whose cumulative salaries total more than three-quarters of a million dollars annually -- have come as the state is battling record-setting deficits.

Last week, the Legislature adopted a Schwarzenegger-backed budget plan that contained a wide array of tax hikes and spending cuts in education, health and many other state services.

The Schwarzenegger administration defends the ex-lawmaker appointees as all qualified for the job.