Republicans meet with Brown to keep budget conversation going

The five GOP senators who declared an impasse in the budget talks yesterday didn't seem especially optimistic this afternoon about a possible deal, noting in a statement that "we are realistic. Getting to a constructive agreement involves difficult compromise." But the governor told reporters that there has been a little movement. "Not as much as I want, but it's there," he said, according to Capitol Alert. Meanwhile, President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg said the Senate will vote Thursday on spending reductions in Brown's budget plan - even if Democrats can't get the two-thirds vote necessary to get the tax extension proposal on June's ballot. Sacramento isn't known for its transparency, so there's no telling what's really going on.