Republican state Senator Abel Maldonado of Santa Maria crossed over in a vote held about dawn, and lawmakers finally passed last year's budget with California on the brink of financial collapse. The budget raises the income and sales taxes, cuts spending on education and health care, and the deal includes some unrelated provisions to buy Maldonado's vote such as asking voters to approve open primaries in state elections. The gasoline tax increase was dropped in the final hours. The Senate also included a demand by Maldonado that voters be asked to stop legislative raises in deficit years. The Senate stayed in session for 45 hours trying to finalize the deal that got three Republican votes and left the GOP bloc that was taking a hard no-taxes line isolated out of the process. LAT, Bee

Lacter on Tuesday: Where's the outrage?

Note: No Morning Buzz today.