A recent Kern County Grand Jury report wondered about the economic solvency of a certain Kern County city. The same could be asked of the future of East Hills Mall located in northeast Bakersfield.

Gov. Jerry Brown on Wednesday began laying out the possible consequences of balancing California's remaining $15.4 billion budget deficit solely through spending cuts — including a doubling of University of California tuition.

Democratic lawmakers on Thursday continued to chip away at California's $26.6 billion budget shortfall as Gov. Jerry Brown tried to persuade Republicans to support his plans to eliminate redevelopment agencies and call a special election for extending tax hikes.

Staying silent no more, Bakersfield mayor Harvey Hall speaks out in defense of redevelopment agencies.

Local redevelopment agencies say they help bring in more tax revenue, and the California Redevelopment Association calls the state controller's scathing report "politically motivated."

Serious budget negotiations are expected to begin in the weeks ahead as the two houses of the Legislature wrapped up their preliminary versions of California's spending plan Friday.

Taking a page from the Republican playbook, Democratic lawmakers promised Wednesday to streamline state regulations to boost business in California.

Brown gave the first State of the State speech of his new administration Monday, asking lawmakers to set aside their partisan differences for the good of California, which faces a $25.4 billion deficit.