SACRAMENTO – As work on the California budget crisis came to a standstill yesterday, Assembly Speaker Herb Wesson said Democratic lawmakers will leave the Capitol early next week to venture "to all corners of the state" urging support for tax increases.

Saying the people of California need to know the "truth" about the state's $38 billion budget deficit, Wesson said Assembly Democrats will carry his message that the state must cut spending and raise taxes to fix its financial problems.

Lawmakers will be expected to visit their districts as well as Republican strongholds to lobby city councils, boards of supervisors, public safety officers and other community leaders. The tour will run three days beginning Monday night. Legislators would be expected back June 26, when Wesson said he'll ask the Assembly to vote on a budget plan that will include some mix of cuts and savings as well as tax increases.

Wesson offered his plan after a two-hour, closed-door meeting Tuesday between party leaders and Gov. Gray Davis produced no movement from either side and left several lawmakers warning privately about a political impasse that might go on for weeks.

In response, Republicans wondered why Wesson and other lawmakers would leave Sacramento instead of working on the budget.

"We find it unfortunate that with seven or eight days left before the fiscal deadline, legislative Democrats are essentially waving the white flag and leaving Sacramento instead of being here to work on the budget," said Peter DeMarco, spokesman for Dave Cox of Fair Oaks, the Assembly's Republican leader.

Wesson, D-Culver City, said the Assembly's Democratic Caucus would pay for the trips.