California governor predicts too much Democratic spending

Democratic California Gov. Brown predicts lawmakers from his own party will spend too much in the upcoming year and that his successor will struggle to control it.

Brown's remarks came during an interview with The Associated Press. He leaves in January after eight years in office. It's his second stint leading the nation's most populous state after serving from 1975 to 1983.

He helped Democrats strengthen their grip on power but also has kept lawmakers in check by rejecting efforts to spend money in favor of saving it to protect against a future economic downtown.

In the interview, Brown called for discussions about the danger of wildfires to force officials and residents to act.

He pushed back against critics who say he's too friendly with oil interests and chided international leaders for failing to act urgently on climate change.