Voters rejected the budget-related measures in the special election, and legislative leaders and the Governor say they got the message:  Voters want THEM to figure out how to plug the shortfall.  Budget meetings have already begun.  Senate Leader Darrel Steinberg and Assembly Speaker Karen Bass both say deep cuts are coming no matter what:

“I don’t think there is any way to avoid significant across the board cuts in all areas – education health, human services, corrections, the state workforce, nothing will be immune from cuts.”

Incoming Republican Assembly Leader Sam Blakeslee says voters made something else clear too:

"Raising taxes to continue to feed the operations and the growing operations of the state of California is not acceptable to the public.”

Governor Schwarzenegger also said voters’ rejection of the ballot measures was a clear signal to move ahead with cuts.  However, his budget plan also includes a lot of borrowing to fill the gap