An upbeat Gov. Jerry Brown, saying that California has “confounded its critics” by erasing a decades-old deficit, praised lawmakers and voters Thursday for the state’s economic and budgetary turnaround — even as he offered tough talk about “living within our means” as a key to the future.
“Two years ago, they were writing our obituary,’’ said Brown in his annual “State of the State” address to lawmakers, which was regularly interupted by applause in the state Capitol Assembly chambers. “Well, it didn’t happen. California is back, its budget is balanced, and we are on the move. Let’s go out and get it done.”
