SACRAMENTO — California's budget mess is getting worse by the day, which could result in many area employees of the state not getting paid.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared a fiscal state of emergency because of the financial morass, and the state controller is issuing IOUs to state employees in lieu of pay because of the growing budget deficit.

Nevada County has a total of 499 state employees, and Placer has 891. State parks alone employs 65 full-time employees and 200 seasonal employees in the Truckee-Tahoe area.

“These people are so exceptional and this is really hard to take,” said Marguerite Sprague, executive director of the Sierra State Parks Foundation of the state employees who may receive IOUs. “They manage to hold it together so well for the public.”

Sprague said the State Parks Foundation was looking for ways to financially aid state park employees getting IOUs, but hadn't come up with a feasible option in time.

The dysfunctional California Legislature Wednesday — the first day of the new fiscal year — again failed to come up with a solution to dealing with the burgeoning deficit, which is now more than $26 billion.

The governor's fiscal state of emergency declaration means California's state offices will be closed three days a month to conserve cash. It means a third unpaid furlough day for 235,000 state employees.

If the Legislature fails to solve the deficit within 45 days, it cannot adjourn or act on other bills until the crisis is resolved.

Sprague said she encourages people to write their legislators and visit state parks this summer.

— The Associated Press contributed to this report