A coalition of education advocates began to pepper the state Monday with radio spots and mailed brochures accusing lawmakers of "partisan bickering" and calling on voters to squeeze their elected officials to quickly approve a budget that includes tax increases.
Nine school groups -- including those representing politically powerful teachers unions, parents and administrators -- are shelling out $1 million for newspaper ads, mailings and a pair of radio spots to air in areas including Sacramento, Fresno, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

"The non-action we are seeing at the Capitol hurts our children and jeopardizes our schools," California Federation of Teachers President Mary Bergan said.

In addition to pressing for an on-time budget, the ads also urge voters to support a half-cent sales tax increase proposed by Gov. Gray Davis.

"It's a modest tax increase, but it's absolutely crucial," Bergan said.

Though not explicit in the ads, the campaign is largely directed at Republican lawmakers who have refused to budge from their anti-tax position and whose votes are needed to pass a budget. But Republican leaders were unconcerned about the new push, saying it will not affect their anti-tax stance.

"They would be better off if they spent their million dollars trying to improve education at a failing school district than doing this," said Assemblyman John Campbell, R-Irvine, vice chairman of the committee negotiating a final budget compromise.

A revised budget proposed by Davis in May added about $700 million to school spending above his January proposal -- sparing schools from comparatively deeper cuts proposed to other programs.

Davis long has called education his top priority as governor, and he has relied heavily on political donations from teachers unions for his election campaigns. Now, the Democratic governor might again be asking for more campaign contributions because he is facing an increasingly strong recall effort.

One of the radio ads features a mother telling her son that "politicians are fighting, and they might not finish the budget on time."

The boy responds, "You know what happens if I turn in my schoolwork late? I flunk."

An announcer then warns that a late budget would harm schools that are already shaping their budgets for the fiscal year that begins July 1.

Lawmakers are in the throes of budget talks, with no apparent resolution in sight and a Sunday constitutional deadline drawing near.

A two-house committee hashing out routine budget issues continued to meet Monday, and top legislative leaders planned to meet this afternoon with Davis to discuss such contentious issues as tax hikes and deep cuts to health care programs for the poor.

State Treasurer Phil Angelides, meanwhile, on Monday chastised Republican legislators, who have said they will not accept a budget that includes tax hikes.

In a letter to GOP leaders, Angelides warned that the state's credibility among lenders may have been wounded when Senate Republican leader Jim Brulte of Rancho Cucamonga threatened political reprisals against fellow Republicans who vote to increase taxes.

"They have expressed rapidly escalating concerns about the state's ability to resolve its fiscal challenges in the face of deep policy differences," Angelides wrote.

Brulte quickly rejected the notion that his actions contributed to the state's fragile economic situation, instead blaming Davis and legislative Democrats. He accused Angelides of remaining "on the sidelines or actively encouraging the liberals to spend even more.