Can Jerry Brown balance California's budget?

California's budget nightmare: Painful cuts or higher taxes

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Keep paying higher taxes or face deep, painful cuts in services. Those are the options Californians are faced with.

But if the Democratic governor and Republican lawmakers can't reach a compromise, the people of California might not have a choice in the matter.

To help close the $26.6 billion budget shortfall the state is facing, Governor Jerry Brown wants to let residents vote on extending a tax hike in effect since 2009. But a month ago, he broke off talks with Republican lawmakers who blocked his push to put the tax measure on the ballot in June.

While the governor says he is still committed to letting the voters decide, he's likely to reveal a much more draconian spending plan, which won't factor in additional revenue from the tax extension, on May 16. That's when the state unveils its revised revenue and expenditure projections.

Comment: Minnesota's issues pale by comparison