Dan Walters

Although Democrats control California's Capitol, some Democrat-friendly groups must take their causes to the voters via initiatives.

As Los Angeles continues to deteriorate, the city's politicians are preoccupied with an internal power struggle over who will fill the seat of a city councilman under indictment for corruption.

The U.S. Supreme Court's decision striking down a New York gun control law could also erase much of California's toughest-in-the-nation array of gun laws.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom's recent words and actions are fueling national media speculation about his becoming a presidential candidate.

California's state government has a sorry record on using information technology to make agencies more efficient, and a new audit aims to find out why.

California schools are getting a big infusion of financing, but it's uncertain whether more money will translate into better academic outcomes.

Two pending California budget-related bills, one to tax lithium extraction and another to reduce taxes on marijuana, demonstrate the arbitrary nature of tax policy

California Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders negotiated a new state budget in secret and then began the enactment process while giving the public very little time to figure out what they are doing.

Medical care is California's largest economic sector, which means it draws much attention in the Legislature, including detailed laws on who can perform medical procedures and how health care insurers cover those procedures.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders are negotiating how to spend a huge projected budget surplus, but recession could spoil all of their plans.