Dan Walters

Walters: California’s Job Numbers Aren’t Good

September 22, 2020

At first glance, California’s monthly employment numbers, released last Friday, appear to indicate steady recovery from the very severe pandemic-spawned recession. California’s unemployment rate declined from 13.5% in July to 11.4% in August, reflecting a n...

Walters: Most ‘Job Killer’ Bills Bite the Dust Again

Dan Walters, CalMatters Commentary

September 16, 2020

As COVID-19 slammed into California a half-year ago, Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered a partial shutdown of what had been a high-flying economy to combat the deadly virus, plunging the state into its worst recession s...

Walters: Supreme Court Makes Local Tax Hikes Easier

Dan Walters, CalMatters Commentary

September 14, 2020

In a roundabout, passive way, the California Supreme Court last week handed a big victory to the advocates of higher taxes. Without comment, the justices declined to take up a state appellate court decision ...

Walters: Environmental Exemptions Yes, but Reform No

Dan Walters, CalMatters Commentary

September 13, 2020

The California Legislature has a handy website that allows users to find and track the thousands of bills that are introduced during its two-year sessions. If one enters “California Environmental Quality Act” into the website’s search function, 171 bills po...

Picture of protesters demanding police reform

Walters: Legislature Fails on Police Reform Promises

Dan Walters, CalMatters Commentary

September 10, 2020

When the California Legislature folded up its tent 10 days ago, it left an extraordinary number of high-profile bills still awaiting final votes, and the finger-pointing has been underway ever since. It’s no...

Photo of the California Capitol Building

Walters: Capitol’s Dominant Democrats Still Bickering

Dan Walters, CalMatters Commentary

September 6, 2020

One might think that when Democrats captured overwhelming control of the California Legislature — roughly three-fourths of its 120 seats — harmony would prevail. Nope. As the Legislature’s just-concluded, pa...

Walters: Newsom’s Third Try on COVID-19

Dan Walters, CalMatters Commentary

September 2, 2020

Will the third time be the charm for Gov. Gavin Newsom and his somewhat erratic efforts to battle the COVID-19 pandemic while preventing irreparable damage to the state’s once-vibrant economy? Newsom won widespread praise for his earliest efforts at prevent...

Walters: Legislature Leaves Much Undone

Dan Walters, CalMatters Commentary

September 1, 2020

When the Legislature reconvened in January, the stage was seemingly set for a year of sweeping action on California’s most vexing political issues, such as a chronic housing shortage, homelessness and an embarr...

Walters: Do Crises Help or Hurt Tax Hikes?

Dan Walters, CalMatters Commentary

August 31, 2020

Does the trauma enveloping California this year — pandemic, recession, heat waves, blackouts and disastrous wildfires — make voters more or less likely to vote for tax increases? Sponsors of a $12 billion a ...

Walters: We Have a Power Supply Problem

Dan Walters, CalMatters Commentary

August 30, 2020

The rolling electrical blackouts that hit California in mid-August were — or should have been — a wake-up call about power supply deficits that have been building for years. Simply put, state political leaders have committed California to phasing out nuclea...

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Walters: California’s Job Numbers Aren’t Good

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Walters: California’s Job Numbers Aren’t Good

Walters: Most ‘Job Killer’ Bills Bite the Dust Again

Walters: Supreme Court Makes Local Tax Hikes Easier

Walters: Environmental Exemptions Yes, but Reform No

Walters: Legislature Fails on Police Reform Promises

Walters: Capitol’s Dominant Democrats Still Bickering

Walters: Newsom’s Third Try on COVID-19

Walters: Legislature Leaves Much Undone

Walters: Do Crises Help or Hurt Tax Hikes?

Walters: We Have a Power Supply Problem