STATE CAPITOL - As they welcomed 11 new GOP Assembly members and three new Republican state Senators Monday, the minority-party members in Sacramento said their position is as firm as ever on how to solve - and not solve - the state's economic woes.

"Our margin is obviously smaller, but that's a difference without a distinction," said Assemblyman Roger Niello (R-Fair Oaks), who was elected to a third term on Nov. 4 and has served as vice chair of the Assembly Budget Committee.

Though Democrats picked up an aggregate of three seats in the Assembly, Niello said, they still need at least three Republicans to cross over and vote for any legislation that requires a two-thirds vote, such as a state budget.

Because the GOP caucus is united around opposition to any new taxes and wanting to see reforms such as a state spending cap and improving the state's regulatory environment on businesses, Niello said, Democrats will have to give to get any of those crossover votes.

"We're still solid, still firm on the things that are priorities," Niello said.

Newly sworn-in Assemblyman Dan Logue (R-Linda) sounded a similar note.

"We've got to create wealth, and we've got to grow our way out of trouble, not tax our way out of trouble," Logue said. "Raising taxes will drive more jobs to Nevada."

Logue said that in addition to making the state more business friendly, legislators could improve the budget picture by going after billions in uncollected taxes, selling excess property and auditing for waste.

On the state Senate side, Republican Leader Dave Cogdill (R-Modesto) said his caucus members are similarly unified.

"From the Republican point of view, it's all about a real opportunity to take a look at the state's services, what we provide, and how we can live within our means," he said.

November's election brought gains for the Democrats in the Assembly but only preserved the status quo in the Senate, and many observers said the situation could've been far worse for the Republicans than it turned out.

Cogdill said he hoped that a more California-friendly presidential administration under President-elect Barack Obama could help the state with its gap between what it sends in taxes to Washington D.C. and what it receives in return.

"That equals to about $50 billion, and if we even get a little of that back it will make a great deal of difference," Cogdill said.

Niello said his read on Nov. 4 results was that voters were upset and unsettled as a whole, and they want legislators of both parties to do a better job.

He also said he believes a state ballot measure eliminating the two-thirds requirement for budget and tax votes - something believed to be a possibility for a special statewide election ballot next year - would fail.

"I'm not so sure that the voters are willing to turn responsibility for the budget and taxes over to just the majority party," he said, "and that's true whoever the majority party is."