Dan Walters

The state's newest budget is, like others, very dependent on personal incomes taxes on the highest-income Californians and that's dangerous.

H.L Richardson championed gun rights and tough anti-crime laws and single-handedly changed the tenor of California's Capitol.

California advanced its presidential primary to March in hopes of becoming more relevant, but the complexity of the Democratic delegate process could undercut that hope.

Will California force local communities to shelter the homeless? Gov. Gavin Newsom may be leaning in that direction.

Gov. Gavin Newsom's budget presentation indicates anew that he wants to become president.

Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to ramp up spending on "entitlements" but the state's economy is showing signs of slowing.

State and federal demographers differ on California's population and the 2020 census will settle the conflict. California could lose a congressional seat due to slow population growth.

Separating the Capitol's grain (serious legislation) from the chaff (symbolic fluff) is now always easy.

Although it's a presidential election year, most of California's significant political action will be elsewhere on the ballot.

Hundreds of bills will be introduced in the Legislature this year but there are a few items that should top the session's agenda.