Dan Walters

California's spending has tripled in 25 years under Democratic leadership, while such problems as homelessness, water shortages and poverty grew.

Gov. Gavin Newsom estimated there's a nearly $20 billion hole in the budget, but if lawmakers restore his Medi-Cal cuts the hole could grow $10 billion larger.

California's unemployment rate remains among the nation's highest, while the state struggles to build homes and grow its labor force.

A minor miracle occurred when Los Angeles County voters last year approved several governance reforms, including creating an elected county executive, a position that would be second in California's real-world power only to governor.

As Newsom and legislators fashion a new state budget, verbal exchanges between him and local officials about who is to blame have become sharper.

Los Angeles Unified School District wants to "avoid" charter schools taking over several hundred district buildings. A judge may decide if that's legal.

The California Senate appeared to double down on making housing development more difficult and costly, shunting a bill aimed at making it easier to build housing by exempting some projects from the California Environmental Quality Act.

California went from being a state with high economic mobility and opportunity to a society starkly separated by wealth, income and race.

Wrong revenue projections a few years ago led California to overspend, creating structural deficits. Now underestimated Medi-Cal costs are blowing holes in the latest proposed budget.

Two of the most contentious issues awaiting votes in Congress would have particularly heavy impacts on California.