Caucus to Fight Calif. Gov. Jerry Brown Budget

Thirty California legislators have formed a Taxpayers Caucus to fight Gov. Jerry Brown’s budget and his plan to send tax hike extensions to the ballot. The group wants the ballot measure to be accompanied by measures that will reduce taxes, The Sacramento Bee reports.

Co-chair of the group state Sen. Tony Strickland said, "People right now are at kitchen tables across the state of California, trying to make ends meet, living paycheck to paycheck. California government can't keep treating them like a personal ATM machine," the paper said.

The new group represents not only a coordinated challenge to Brown’s budget but to the 12 Republicans who did not join. Those not joining include Assembly GOP leader Connie Conway and Senate GOP leader Bob Dutton, the paper said.

Jon Fleischman, a blogger and Republican activist, said if you are a “Republican that didn't sign this pledge, you're probably going to expect to get lit up pretty quick by radio talk shows, by blogs like mine," he told the Bee.