State misses budget deadline, again

California lawmakers have missed the deadline to approve a state budget for the fiscal year that starts today.AP in the Daily News.

Republicans and Democrats in both houses of the Legislature remain far apart on how to close the state's $15.2 billion budget shortfall.

Republicans, including Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, favor wide-ranging cuts to services and programs. Democrats want to raise taxes by anywhere from $6 billion to $11 billion.

Lawmakers are constitutionally required to pass a budget by June 15 and give it to the governor to sign by July 1. That's happened only a dozen times over the last 30 years. The last time lawmakers passed a budget by June 15 was 1986.