California is in the black, with a huge budget surplus projected for the second year in a row, and the economy picking up steam. But many people are still being left behind, and struggling during the pandemic, as we see more poverty and disturbing spikes in crime. Some school districts still face crushing budget deficits, and homelessness seems worse than even while California has tens of billions of dollars of extra tax revenue to spend. 

For more on that disconnect, and the economic road ahead for California, KCBS Radio news anchors Jeff Bell and Patti Reising, and KCBS political reporter Doug Sovern spoke to  State Assembly member Phil Ting of San Francisco, who chairs the Assembly Budget Committee.