Governor Jerry Brown needs four Republican votes for his spending plan. He says he talks with individual lawmakers every day. But the top Republican on the Assembly Budget Committee, Jim Nielsen, says Brown doesn't have any votes in his caucus.
Nielsen: "When the majority will not offer any concessions on major issues - like a really meaningful spending cap, pension reform, regulatory reform - there's nowhere to go but say no."
The committee's top Democrat, Bob Blumenfield, says he's moving the budget process along while negotiations continue.
Blumenfield: "There is progress. But it's hard to know what the saturation point is, and when the discussions and the progress turn into fruitful results. We haven't seen the results yet."
Blumenfield says the Assembly plans a budget vote on June 8th - one week ahead of the state's constitutional deadline.
