A state appellate court ruled Tuesday that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's line-item vetoes last year reducing funding for several programs were constitutional, rejecting a challenge from various social service advocates, unions and Democratic legislative leaders.

Half of California voters believe the state should close its $19.9 billion deficit mostly or entirely through spending cuts rather than tax increases, according to a Field Poll released Tuesday.

The public, as the Datamar poll shows, wants positive change. What, one wonders, will it take to translate that latent desire into concrete action? Perhaps a complete financial meltdown by the state?

But with the state battered by the recession and facing a $42 billion deficit last winter, Schwarzenegger proposed new taxes on everything from alcohol to veterinary services. He ultimately signed $12.5 billion in temporary tax hikes on income, sales and vehicles, the last of which was the very tax he came to Sacramento to reduce.