Governor Brown famously refused to live in the state's new governor's mansion when he took office in 1975. Instead, he opted to sleep in a rented Sacramento apartment – on a mattress on the floor, no less. He also rejected the customary limousine and outgoing Gov. Ronald Reagan's private jet – saving some $210,000 in the process.
Today, Brown continues his same frugal ways. His inauguration featured a public lunch with hot dogs and chips. His 2010 gubernatorial campaign cost $24.8 million – not chump change, but less than one-sixth of the $160 million spent by Republican competitor Meg Whitman.
