Lawmakers miss deadline -- but can <i>you</i> balance the budget?

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State lawmakers on Tuesday missed the constitutional deadline to pass a budget for the 23rd time in 24 years.

Budget talks, as noted here, are in their infancy. The current members of the Big Five -- the governor and four legislative leaders -- met face-to-face for the first time Monday.

But why wait for them to balance the books? Next 10, a nonprofit that aims to increase public knowledge about California’s beleaguered finances, has created a program to allow anyone to try their hand at budget-balancing, not just state lawmakers.

Check out the volume of cuts, taxes -- or both -- that are necessary to stem the flow of red ink in California.

-- Shane Goldmacher in Sacramento