Capitol Alert

Throughout the year, Gov. Jerry Brown has insisted he will not sign a budget balanced with non-tax, onetime revenues - often dubbed "gimmicks." But he left open the possibility Monday he would do just that if majority Democrats send him such a budget.

"That's a very good question," Brown said when asked about signing a non-tax revenue budget at a Capitol press conference. "I will take a very hard look at it. We've had discussions with the leadership, and I've told them the way I see things, and we'll see what happens when they bring it down."

Previously, Brown has stressed there were only two choices - a budget that relies on taxes to close the remaining $9.6 billion deficit or devastating cuts to schools and public safety. He tried to make that point Monday with about two dozen backers standing behind him. Still, he did not dismiss the gimmicks possibility as he has on previous occasions.

Asked about his softening on a non-tax budget, Brown said, "Nothing has changed. I just don't give you all my strategies before I implement them."

As each day passes toward Wednesday's constitutional deadline, the likelihood of a majority-vote budget increases. Democrats for the first time can approve a budget on their own, but they want Republican support for tax revenues and redevelopment changes under Brown's plan.

The governor originally wanted an election on June 7 and negotiated with Republicans to have a tax measure before voters on that date. But Republicans balked in March, saying Democrats would not go far enough on pension cuts, environmental regulatory changes and a long-term spending limit. Democrats reduced the deficit by more than $13 billion at that time with significant cuts to health care, welfare and universities, as well as internal fund shifts.

Brown said he is continuing to negotiate with Republican lawmakers. He said they are still proposing ideas, including a change Sunday that would "give heartburn to environmentalists and a lot of other people. (Environmentalists) have got more pills than Carter. That's liver pills."

(The reference was to a maker of liver pills famous in the mid-20th Century. He did not specify what the environmental change was.)

If lawmakers fail to send Brown a balanced budget by Wednesday, they will lose pay beginning Thursday under Controller John Chiang's interpretation of Proposition 25. Absent GOP support for Brown's proposal, Democrats may be able to cobble together a balanced plan that relies on onetime solutions, borrowing and additional cuts that ensures they continue receiving pay and minimizes painful reductions.

Lawmakers have until June 30 to extend higher sales and vehicle taxes. Democratic leaders have suggested that Wednesday should be the ultimate deadline because it is the constitutional requirement and they want a bipartisan compromise before pay runs out. But Brown left open the possibility he would continue talking with Republicans after Wednesday if no deal is reached.

"Wednesday's a good point, that's a good stopping point," Brown said. "But if we don't make it Wednesday, maybe we can make it Thursday. Or Friday. I think they should not go home until they get this job done."

PHOTO CREDIT: Gov. Jerry Brown surrounded by business and public leaders holds a press conference on the budget, two days before constitutional deadline for lawmakers to send him a balanced plan. The Sacramento Bee/Hector Amezcua