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Among likely voters, California Gov. Jerry Brown's plan to balance a $26.6 billion deficit with roughly half cuts and half tax increase extensions enjoys more than 50 percent support only from the age group least likely to vote during a June or November special election.

About 38 percent of all Californians believe a mix of tax increases and spending cuts is the best option for the state, according to a Public Policy Institute of California poll released Tuesday night.

The Republican leader in the state Assembly, Connie Conway, said the poll "underscored the lack of voter appetite" for maintaining tax hikes put into place two years ago.

"We must focus on reforms like job creation, a spending cap and reining in public pension costs to ensure California never faces a deficit of this magnitude again," she said in a statement.

Overall, about one in two likely voters supports Brown's plan. Considering that Brown wants voters to okay the $11 billion tax portion of the budget, political consultants would find it much more for fortuitous for him and Democrats if closer to three in five likely voters approved.

(PPIC)

A Field Poll released earlier this month found nearly 60 percent of Californians do support for extending higher rates of income, sales and vehicles until 2016. However, the Field Poll accounted for all registered voters rather than just likely voters.

Likely voters under the age of 35 show more favor for his plan, but that group is least likely to turnout during election. In the 2006 midterm election, about 25 percent of California voters were under the age of 30.

If a special election is called, Brown would have the chance to lobby more Californians about what would happen if they don't support the tax extensions.