Fresno residents who live in state Sen. Tom Berryhill's district were greeted this week by an automated phone call from Grover Norquist.

The Washington, D.C.-based group Americans for Tax Reform, which is headed by Norquist, sent the recorded messages to the districts of four moderate Republican lawmakers, including Berryhill -- and they were meant to pressure the legislators to not cut a deal with Gov. Jerry Brown on a tax extension proposal.

Norquist's robocall came as Brown was talking with Republican lawmakers such as Berryhill and state Sen. Anthony Cannella of Ceres about support for asking voters to extend 2009 tax increases on vehicles, income and sales.

Brown, faced with a $26.6 billion budget deficit, needs at least two Republican votes in each house to ask voters to extend 2009 tax increase. He had set a Thursday deadline to conclude a deal. Brown wants a June 7 special election on his proposal.

Berryhill's office did not return an e-mail seeking comment.