But Democratic lawmakers say Schwarzenegger's proposals are still draconian, would unravel the state's safety net and hurt the ailing economy. 

State Department of Motor Vehicle offices will be closed each of the next three Fridays, July 10, 17, and 24, to comply with the governor's furlough order, department officials said. 

Bottom line: No agreement – and state finance officials estimate that the red ink grows by about $25 million per day for every day that goes by this month without a balanced budget in place. 

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg said separately Thursday that they are optimistic a budget deal can be struck within several days

Repeatedly, especially during his first months in office and later when running for re-election, he took the easy way out – cutting taxes by billions of dollars, backing off a tough spending limit, unilaterally adding spending to placate Democrats and blowing through a one-time surge in revenues.