Dan Walters

California Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders are busily deciding how to spend a budget surplus, but the Legislature's budget guru advises caution.

Democrats control three-quarters of the California Legislature's seats and one aspect of one-party domination has been ever-increasing secrecy in the legislative process, especially on the state budget.

This year's California elections are a venue for the state Legislature's power struggle, pitting progressive Democrats against business -friendly moderates.

Three voter-approved provisions of the state constitution have a major impact on how the California state budget is fashioned and they are having a big effect as the state sees a flood of new revenues.

Four ballot measures to legalize sports wagering in California were proposed, but now it's down to two and only one might face voters this year.

Gov. Gavin Newsom's revised budget projects an astonishing $100 billion surplus due to soaring revenues but ignores some potentially very negative factors.

The two hottest political issues this year are inflation and abortion and California Gov. Gavin Newsom highlighted his response to both while unveiling a revised state budget.

Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Air Resources Board are boasting about California's shift to zero-emission vehicles but the reality of making it happen is daunting.

California cities have responded in myriad ways to pressure from the state for more housing construction, but the oddest may be a newly passed law in Santa Ana.

California has many pressing issues, some of them crises, but without a real contest for governor, none of them will get a full political airing.