Brother, can you spare a dime? How about 4,290 dimes?

By our calculations, the $11.2 billion state budget deficit - the number is a moving target, and just for the current year - works out to $429 for every adult in the state.

That's 26.1 million people 18 or over, including homeless and Silicon Valley execs; movie stars and farm workers; students and prisoners.

We asked some people how that $429 fit into their lives. (Meanwhile, we'd like to fit $11.2 billion into our wallets.)

Here's some of what they told us. Your opinion is just as valid, so be sure to leave your comments online.

Sue Greenwald, Davis council member - Greenwald countered that Davis is facing as much as $450 million in mandated sewer and water improvements, plus an increase in their CalPers contribution at the same time property tax growth has failed to meet expectations. That could be thousands of dollars per person, including kids, she said. "It's a big hit." The state mess pales beside it, she felt.

James DenBoer, Sacramento poet - DenBoer is on a fixed income - a pension and Social Security - but could probably come up with that if he had to. He has other plans. "That's a plane flight to Mexico," he said. He's headed there for a conference of Mexican and American poets. Alternatively, $429 is a month of dinners at home.

Peter Lorenzo, Roseville retired political science professor - Wouldn't mind giving up another $429 to the state, if it's done right. "If it's a graduated income tax, yes," he said. Just not a regressive sales, auto or property tax. To Lorenzo, the money would represent a hunk out of his contribution to his 6-year-old grandson's college fund.

Keith Weber, North Highlands businessman - "The real problem is we spend more money than we get in," Weber said. He thinks the legislature and governor should just mandate across-the-board cuts to meet the budget. "That's what we have to do in business," he said. "We get creative." In his business, it meant changing his phone service to save somewhere near $429. Personally, it would mean parking his 1975 RV for a year to save registration and operating costs.

Cory Keller, Sacramento graphic designer - Keller had ready answers when asked what he'd relate that amount of money to - something he'd bought, something he coveted or something he might have blown that much money on. The frame of reference was all musical: "I spent that much on a Marshall combo amp," he said. "And I guess I would like a drum machine or a synth(esizer)." And he didn't really need that Jaguar guitar he bought. When it came down to it, though, the item in his budget that fit the $429 was more of a necessity: "That's probably what I spend on food every month."

Marc Torrant, Sacramento engineer for Intel - Torrant could envision paying his share for this year, but wondered if it would be repeated. "Do I have to break my checkbook out because they can't balance the budget?" (And estimates are that the deficit is even more next year.) He also wondered about what his $429 would go to. "Certain things, I don't mind paying for." On a personal level, $429 is "a flight home to see my family in New York, which I try to do a couple of times a year."

Anthony Taylor, Sacramento unemployed - "If I had it, I would (pay that)," Taylor said. "I don't have it." Taylor was selling Homeward, the newspaper of homeless news. "I live below the poverty level as it is. Four hundred fifty dollars would be like $1,000 to me."

Robert Tuffree, California student - Tuffree said he'd have to miss a student loan payment to put up $429. He favors cutting social programs instead. "There's too many freebies going on that aren't necessary."

Don and Gwen Kline, Sacramento building industry business owners - The Klines had a bit of a difference of opinion between them. Don said flatly, "no," they couldn't put up the money, while his wife demurred. "We're OK ." Don Kline said the business is off 80 percent this year. To pay $858 (twice $429), "that would mean we're living on cat food," he said. But his wife voiced a willingness to help. "I think we all need to come up a little bit with something," she said. "Where they're cutting is just horrible."

Call The Bee's Carlos Alcalá, (916) 321-1987. Bee staff writers Anita Creamer, Rachael Bogert, Hudson Sangree, Gina Kim, Bob Walter, Loretta Kalb and Cathy Locke contributed to this report.