California Gov. Gavin Newsom is seeking ways to close a $23 billion deficit while Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is looking to spend a $33 billion surplus. These numbers are likely to be used in political discussions between blue and red states, but it is important to note that every state...
Boy Told Mom ‘Be Calm’ Before Being Swept Away in Floodwater
LOS ANGELES — Lindsy Doan didn’t think the water flowing over the creek crossing on San Marcos Road was deeper than normal when she tried navigating it in her SUV while driving her 5-year-old son to school. But the creek, swollen with rain from California's epic winter storms, was much...
California Budget: More for Homelessness, Less for Climate
SACRAMENTO — California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday proposed a $297 billion budget, prioritizing money to address homelessness and education while cutting some climate spending amid a projected $22.5 billion budget deficit. The proposed budget, which would take effect July 1, is about $9 billion less than the current fiscal...
California’s Boom or Bust Tax System Strikes Again
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s penchant for braggadocio was in full flower eight months ago when he declared that California had a $97.5 billion budget surplus and boasted that “no other state in American history has ever experienced a surplus as large as this.” He and the Legislature then wrote a 2022-23...
Recent Storms ‘Just a Drop in the Bucket’ for California Drought
California has experienced a devastating, multi-year drought that’s depleted reservoirs, forced officials to plead with residents to conserve water and constrained supplies to vital farmland. Suddenly, the state has been hit by a severe series of storms, with more expected in the coming days. The rain is soaking a state...
Rep. Katie Porter Will Seek Feinstein’s Senate Seat in 2024
LOS ANGELES — Democratic Rep. Katie Porter of California said Tuesday she will seek the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a fellow Democrat and the oldest member of the chamber. “Especially in times like these, California needs a warrior in Washington," Porter said in a video...
Search Called off for Boy Swept Away by California Flooding
LOS ANGELES — Rescuers have ended the search for a 5-year-old boy who was swept away by floodwaters in central California Monday morning after it became unsafe for divers to continue. The search was called off around 3 p.m. because the current and rising water levels of the Salinas River...
How Much Does the State Legislature Look Like California?
Lea este artículo en español. The California Legislature that has reconvened is the most diverse ever: It includes a record number of women, occupying 50 of 120 seats, with one still being contested. It also includes an all-time high of Latino legislators, as well as lawmakers who openly identify as...
Newsom Launches 2nd Term With Contrast to GOP
SACRAMENTO — California Gov. Gavin Newsom will kick off his second and final term on Friday by contrasting his leadership of the nation's largest Democratic stronghold with Republican leaders he's branded as threats to freedom and democracy — including former President Donald Trump. Newsom began the ceremonies by leading a...
How CA Government Works: From Lobbying to Lawmaking to Budgeting
In the beginning, there was state government. Before there was a federal government, a collection of states organized under the Articles of Confederation in 1781. But the 13 separate entities with different interests soon realized they needed an overarching body to enforce laws, regulate commerce and wage war. So the U.S....