Brown gave the first State of the State speech of his new administration Monday, asking lawmakers to set aside their partisan differences for the good of California, which faces a $25.4 billion deficit.
He wants a ballot measure this June that would ask voters to extend temporary tax increases, but Republicans have said they will not allow it.
The Democratic governor noted the recent political upheaval in Tunisia and Egypt, saying the urge to vote had stirred the imagination of people there. He says lawmakers should not prevent Californians from exercising their own right to vote.
