Senate Republican leader Dave Cogdill said he believes a vote on the budget can happen by August 1, when the state would begin to encounter cash problems.
"I'm confident at this point there will be a budget put up for a vote before the first of August," Cogdill told reporters after speaking to the Sacramento Press Club on Tuesday.
He indicated that it wouldn't be a drill, either.
"Given the reality of the cash crunch that we're in, I don't think so," Cogdill said. "The response ... to that question from Sen. Perata and Speaker Bass have been that they're not interested in doing that. And I think again that is a very constructive and appropriate way to proceed here to see if we can't get to a negotiated settlement before we put a vote up."
During his luncheon speech, the GOP leader responded to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's colorful remarks about the Legislature tardiness on the budget. "I can only get the horse to the water," Schwarzenegger said, "but I can't make it drink."
""We're not going to drink any tax increases," Cogdill said.
@Nyx.CommentBody@