Dan Walters

Newsom's longtime personal and political dealings with Big Oil include ties to the Getty family and several recent state regulation changes.

Lawmakers just passed a bill that would let the next governor pick the state's schools chief, in place of the state school leader voters elect.

Over two decades, political pressure forced California lawmakers to toughen criminal penalties. Now that crime is down, what's next?

Devices that record vehicle operational data for state air quality regulators could also violate privacy and be used to tax drivers by the mile.

There is one event that encapsulates USA’s unique place in human history: World War II, when we saved the world during one of its darkest periods.

California's labor unions want to loosen a pension reform from the recession era, but local governments fear the added costs and how it would widen unfunded liabilities.

Capitol leaders resolved several ballot measure conflicts between rival interests, but notably the billionaire tax survived. It will likely be the most expensive ballot campaign this year.

Newsom and legislative leaders announced a balanced budget has been enacted, but the truth is California will continue overspending until the chronic deficit is addressed.

Gavin Newsom has rocketed to the top of the shadow campaign for president. A federal investigation into the Newsoms could either boost or torpedo his ambitions.

The increased competition between California's universities and community colleges shows why the state needs to update its 56-year-old higher education plan.