SACRAMENTO – With California's Legislature still deadlocked over tax increases and spending cuts, prospects for passing a state budget by today's constitutional deadline remained almost nonexistent yesterday.

Gov. Gray Davis pored over the budget with financial advisers yesterday, but the Capitol remained largely empty except for tourists. Lawmakers, bound by a deadline with no penalties, had no plans to return to their desks to pass a spending plan for the new fiscal year beginning July 1.

Davis, speaking briefly with reporters, said a Republican-led recall drive against him hasn't affected the state budget process, and characterized it as an effort "pushed by a bunch of losers."

Referring to his re-election last November, he said, "I won fair and square."

Davis said a recall "won't create a single job or educate a child," and disputed notions that the effort has a growing momentum. Davis, tieless and huddled with five Department of Finance staffers over legal pads and briefing books, said, "I want to stress that I'm focused on the job."

That job involves passing his $100 billion budget proposal even as Republicans vow to resist tax increases and Wall Street presses for a quick fix to the state's multibillion-dollar deficit. Davis has proposed at least $8 billion in new taxes to accompany approximately $18 billion in cuts and $10 billion in borrowing.

Davis expressed confidence that the budget will be signed by July 1.

But he also criticized Republican leaders' resistance to new taxes and said their vision could force 30,000 teacher layoffs and other destructive cuts in education, public safety and social services. Davis also called promises by Senate Minority Leader Jim Brulte of Rancho Cucamonga to defeat Republicans who vote for taxes "a big mistake."

Davis' remarks came only days after a statewide poll indicated little faith that he or legislators would "do what is right" to solve the crisis.

As yesterday's constitutional deadline loomed, Republican leaders issued statements denouncing Democrats' "extremist tactics" for insisting on new taxes. Democrats did the same, citing "political extremism" from Republicans for insisting on further cuts.

A similar impasse last year delayed the budget's signing to Sept. 5, making it the latest in California's recorded history.