Dan Walters

The structural deficit afflicting California's budget is fueling preliminary cogitating over a tax increase of some kind, which would probably have to be ratified by voters this decade.

Newsom’s three-bill package is almost certain to pass, placing the gerrymander on a Nov. 4 special election ballot. Since no one can predict how all of this will turn out, the situation invites exploring potential scenarios.

Gov. Gavin Newsom failed to fast-track the Delta tunnel proposal in the June budget bill. Now he hopes lawmakers approve it before the legislative session ends.

Californians' power costs are among the nation's highest and could keep climbing. There’s precious little Newsom and legislators can do about it since they face chronic budget deficits.

California once led the nation in government transparency. But as one-party rule emerged and the Capitol press corps shrank, lawmakers have increasingly operated in the dark. Several pending bills could expand their secrecy.

Democratic gerrymandering of California’s districts will not be as easy as Republican gerrymandering in Texas. Apart from persuading voters, there are looming political and legal battles.

While Newsom is fond of touting California’s immense economic output, he rarely mentions its high rates of unemployment, poverty and homelessness, thanks largely to the state's high costs of housing, utilities and other necessities.

Unfettered use of AI-driven deepfakes in political campaigns present an obvious peril, but so does any effort to prohibit free speech — no matter how distasteful.

Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders want to counter the nakedly partisan gerrymandering effort in Texas by gerrymandering California’s congressional districts. It could be another chapter in the tortured history of California redistricting.

With Kamala Harris out of the picture, the field remains crowded in the race for California governor. There is no clear frontrunner and at least one more potential candidate lurking.