Dan Walters

California ranks near the top in tax rates but still has structural deficits in its budget. Legislators would rather tax more than cut costs.

Gov. Gavin Newsom attracted national news coverage thanks to Proposition 50 before jetting to Brazil for a climate conference President Donald Trump avoided.

New housing starts were around 100,000 a year when Newsom took office in 2019; they still hover around that number today.

Sen. Alex Padilla joins other prominent people who elected to not seek California's highest office. Now there's no clear frontrunner — so far.

Potential challenges in the courts and in Washington may affect whether Prop 50 influences the 2026 political races.

Gov. Gavin Newsom told an NBC reporter he's not ready to talk about a presidential run, even though a Prop. 50 win could burnish his national image.

Technology companies and Hollywood corporations are laying off thousands. The only job growth is in government and healthcare.

Both Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Vice President Kamala Harris dropped hints about running for president, revealing complications in their relationship.

A fake Elon Musk YouTube video criticizing Newsom is a taste of the social media scrutiny he'll endure while running for president.

If Prop 50 succeeds, Democrats' votes will be spread more thinly to five more congressional districts at the same time younger candidates challenge senior-age incumbents.