Commentary

Someone could — and should — write a book about the seemingly countless incidents of adverse consequences in the decrees issued by California legislators and governors.

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.

International students spend $6.4 billion a year in California, and immigrants account for a third of its gross domestic product. Federal anti-immigrant policies endanger that.

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.

Stoking crime fear for political gain is commonplace in American politics. In California, Democrats made a show of retail theft hearings in recent years and championed tough-on-crime bills geared more toward pumping turnout than affecting crime rates.

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.

The blanket blame being placed on the L.A. County Counsel's Office for the accidental repeal of Measure J glosses over the root cause, argues the county counsel.

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.

President Trump has asked Texas to stack the congressional deck in Republicans' favor. Gov. Newsom should still keep California's redistricting process independent because it's what voters wanted.

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.