Newsletter: Essential Politics: How far will Jerry Brown bend?

Good morning from the the state capital. I’m Sacramento Bureau Chief John Myers, and May kicks off the all-but-official state budget season in this town.

The next six weeks will be dominated by negotiations over a spending plan for the fiscal year that begins July 1, and that will require consensus between Gov. Jerry Brown and Democratic legislators.

But this year, there are two important — and somewhat conflicting — storylines: Tax revenues came up short in April, and Democrats feel as if this is the year Brown finally embraces some of the spendings they think are crucial to help the working poor.

“I hope that he will step us and meet us halfway,” said state Sen. Holly Mitchell (D-Los Angeles) in an interview for today’s story on how this may be Brown’s toughest budget season yet.

A reminder that we’ll be tracking all of the latest developments, including next week’s unveiling of Brown’s revised budget, on our Essential Politics news feed.

WATERLOO, INDIANA?

Yes, there is a small town in northeastern Indiana that shares the name of the Belgian town where Napoleon lost a battle that changed world history.

But any time someone in politics invokes Waterloo, you know you’re in for a possible turning point that changes everything. And tonight, all eyes are on the Hoosier State to see whether Donald Trump effectively ends the GOP presidential race with a victory over Sen. Ted Cruz and Gov. John Kasich.

Cruz and Kasich, of course, hope just the opposite. Melanie Mason tagged along with the Texas senator on Monday as he stood his ground with a handful of Trump supporters.

Even so, there’s a sense that Tuesday is make or break for Cruz. As David Lauter reports, the bloom seems to be off the rose for many Republican voters when it comes to Cruz.

Finally, Joseph Tanfani and Noah Bierman offer a glimpse of Cruz’s troubles when it comes to the political leanings and demands of his most wealthy donors.

We’ll be covering the primary in Indiana in real time on Trail Guide and via @latimespolitics. And you can always track the delegate race here.

‘SOMETHING STRANGE’ IN THE RISE OF TRUMP

Meantime, California’s governor briefly opined on the Trump campaign on Monday. During an unrelated event in Sacramento, Gov. Brown said there’s “something strange” about the businessman’s political success.

“I think people are upset,” said Brown. “Wherever you look, there’s a lot of climate of discontent.”

COASTAL COMMISSIONER ACCESS: WHO GETS IT?

Legislation moving forward in Sacramento would ban private meetings between members of the California Coastal Commission and those with business before the commission.

They’re called “ex-parte meetings,” and have raised questions about whose influence wins the day once decisions are actually made, as Dan Weikel and and Kim Christensen report.

TODAY’S ESSENTIALS

— A showdown may be brewing between Brown and legislators over a bill that landed on his desk on Monday to require new reporting of lobbying when it comes to government contracts.

— Despite a pending ethics complaint about misusing House office funds, Rep. Michael Honda‘s campaign and legal defense trust fund has spent no money on legal services so far this year, Sarah D. Wire reports. The San Jose Democrat’s bid for another term has been closely watched as he attempts to fight off a repeat challenge from fellow Democrat Ro Khanna, whose campaign accused Honda of hiding the charges until after the primary.

— The Orange County district attorney filed charges Monday against a 19-year-old man who was arrested during the demonstrations that turned violent after a Trump rally in Costa Mesa.

— Nathan Fletcher, once a rising star in the Republican Party in California, is now a Hillary Clinton delegate for the Democratic National Convention.

— The candidates for Los Angeles County supervisor met in a debate Monday, and Rep. Janice Hahn said if elected she would consider dipping into the rainy day fund to deal with the homelessness crisis.

— State senators adjourned their session on Monday in memory of Julie Soderlund, a former gubernatorial adviser and public affairs professional who died last week after a nine-month battle with melanoma. She was 38.

LOGISTICS

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