Voters play role of lawmakers, wielding ax in ‘budget challenge’

If the room full of likely voters who gathered Thursday in San Francisco for the California Budget Challenge had their way, California's current budget deficit would be morphed into a $7.9 billion surplus. More than 150 people participated in the interactive challenge yesterday, put on by the nonprofit, nonpartisan group Next 10. Using hand-held electronic clickers, the group voted on the same issues lawmakers are grappling with in Sacramento less than a week before the June 15 budget deadline. With a starting point of $10.5 million in the red, voters enacted a series of cuts and tax increases to close the gap – and then some.