Expect a lot of debate about those two numbers next week. They reflect the new and the old estimates of the cost for a special election from Secretary of State Bruce McPherson.

The governor's office released a letter from McPherson late today that claims his new estimate of the special election's cost has been adjusted down to $44,686,420. That's in stark contrast to an estimate provided by the new chief elections official last month in a speech to the Sacramento Press Club: $80 million.

As for an official response to the discrepancy... well, the Secretary's spokespersons were already gone for the day, a half-hour after the governor's office released the letter.

But the letter hints that part of the lower estimate may be due to a decision that the money being spent by counties conducting municipal elections this November 8th shouldn't be counted as part of the "extra" cost.

Either way, local officials say they don't have any spare change lying around to foot the added bills... and are demanding that the state pick up the tab.