There may not have been much big news out of the remarks made today by Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez to the Sacramento Press Club, but there was plenty of grist for the mill of budget watchers and political junkies:

* In what sounded like he was testing a new political slogan, Nunez said votes against the budget by GOP legislators, as well as Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger calling a special election, are a sign that "Republicans are not listening to the people of California."

* The Speaker also stated that from now on, he plans to make public the status of any negotiations with the governor and Republicans. At first, it had sounded like he was saying he would only conduct negotiations in public. But he later explained he meant that he will be "more public about the fact that we meet in private."

* The Speaker now says that the much talked about hope for a "global compromise" on the governor's proposals-- which would obviously have to result in alternative measures being placed on the ballot-- should also include a deal on extending term limits and on the union dues initiative nicknamed "paycheck protection." Getting the governor to keep his distance from that initiative might be especially tough, considering how strongly the Republican party is supporting it.

* When asked about his opinion of revising Prop 13, something the governor hinted this week that Democrats are clamoring to do, Nunez said the governor is mistaken. It's true that there's been no real talk about revising the protections for homeowners' property tax rates. But Democrats have introduced legislation to revise Prop 13 by allowing tax increases on commercial property. Nunez wouldn't offer a position on those proposals, only that he has never brought up Prop 13 in budget discussions.

* And in what sounded like a hint of disagreement in traditional Democratic circles, Nunez raised doubts about an initiative to provide universal preschool by raising income taxes on the wealthy. The initiative, which could make the June 2006 ballot, is the brainchild of actor/director Rob Reiner.

"I don't know that I'm going to oppose it, but I don't know that I'm going to support it," Nunez said. The Speaker made that comment after talking about the need to fund programs already on the books before adding any new ones.... and, of course, he's already pushing a tax increase on some of the same wealthy Californians to pay for education.