Dan Walters

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Walters: The Politics of Slow Population Growth

January 12, 2020

During the first decade of the 21st century, demographers in California’s Department of Finance and those in the U.S. Census Bureau found themselves in a genteel conflict. Years by year, the two agencies’ estimates of California’s population diverged, final...

Walters: Winnowing Legislative Grain From Chaff

Dan Walters, CalMatters Commentary

January 9, 2020

During the pre-industrial era, crops of wheat were planted, cultivated, harvested and processed by hand. The latter included “winnowing,” typically by using a shallow basket to toss the crushed kernels of wh...

Walters: Where Political Action Is — and Isn’t — in 2020

Dan Walters, CalMatters Commentary

January 8, 2020

It’s a presidential election year, so what can California voters anticipate between now and Nov. 3? For one thing, not much presidential politicking, even though we’ve advanced our presidential primary from ...

Walters: Promises Made, but Not Kept

Dan Walters, CalMatters Commentary

January 5, 2020

Last month, McClatchy Newspapers and the ProPublica news organization published an investigative article delving into how billions of dollars meant to reduce repeat criminal activity by improving local jails and probation services were siphoned off for other p...

Stock photo of money, gavel, and handcuffs

Walters: State Supreme Court Helps Insider Dealing

Dan Walters, CalMatters Commentary

January 2, 2020

One should expect the California Supreme Court to protect the integrity of governmental actions. However, on the day after Christmas, the court, by a 6-1 margin, gave government officials a gift. It decreed ...

Walters: New Year, Old Confounding Issues for California

Dan Walters, CalMatters Commentary

January 1, 2020

California has always been a basket of contradictions, and as we begin a new year and a new decade, they seem destined to become even more confounding. As 2019 closed, we learned from the state Department of...

Walters: Bullet Train Follies

Dan Walters, CalMatters Commentary

December 23, 2019

As oft-noted in this space, those in California’s state government — governors, legislators and agency directors — have an unfortunate habit of starting programs and projects that are never fully implemented. These governmental orphans fall roughly into two...

Walters: California’s Housing Crisis vs. Reality

Dan Walters, CalMatters Commentary

December 22, 2019

As he was running for governor, Gavin Newsom repeatedly and emphatically promised to attack California’s housing shortage head-on, pledging in an online article to “lead the effort to develop the 3.5 million ne...

Walters: California’s High-Tech FI$Cal Debacle

Dan Walters, CalMatters Commentary

December 19, 2019

In 1966, as the United States was wallowing in the quagmire of the Vietnam War, U.S. Sen. George Aiken of Vermont famously suggested that the United States simply “declare victory and get out.” For more than...

Photo of utility crews repairing overhead lines along the PCH

Walters: What Now for PG&E?

Dan Walters, CalMatters Commentary

December 18, 2019

Gov. Gavin Newsom says he wants Pacific Gas & Electric Co. to become a “radically restructured and transformed utility that is responsible and accountable…” But how? Dan Walters Opinion Newsom, in rejecting the company’s plan to emerge ...

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With Creek Fire Blazing, Labor Dispute Prevents Full CRMC Trauma Services

Soaring Lumber Costs Push New Homes Prices Up. Local Sellers Play Guessing Game.

Is This Campaign Ad Racist? Or Does It Just Call a Candidate Corrupt?

Newsom Signs Law to Grow Mental Health Coverage

COVID-19: Valley Sheriffs Concerned About Early Release of State Inmates

Soaring Lumber Costs Push New Homes Prices Up. Local Sellers Play Guessing Game.

Ecologist Says the USFS Needs To Get Out of the Way in Wake of Massive Fires

‘We’re in the Middle of a Crime Wave.’ Fresno Leaders Voice Concerns.

Raiders' Maxx Crosby Back to Work After Stint on COVID List

Landmine-Sniffing Rat Hailed as Hero, Beats Out Dogs for Award

Animal’s Warrior Road Traveled Through Fresno

Nearly 500 Pilot Whales Stranded in Australia; 380 Dead

Next Up: Californians Brace for the ‘Twindemic’

Animal’s Warrior Road Traveled Through Fresno

Walters: California’s Job Numbers Aren’t Good

Is Mike Pompeo Preparing an October Surprise?

Eid al-Fitr Marks End of Ramadan, but COVID-19 Curtails Big Events

LIVE: Daily Briefing from Gov. Gavin Newsom

COVID-19 Brings a New Kind of Ramadan for Muslim Community

Biden Aims To Rebuild 'Blue Wall' in Appeal To Autoworkers

Trump Camp Hopes Mideast Pacts Translate to Jewish Support

McConnell, Pelosi Dispute Trump, Vow Peaceful Power Transfer

Progressives Pledge to Keep Pushing Biden to Expand Court

Walters: The Politics of Slow Population Growth

Walters: Winnowing Legislative Grain From Chaff

Walters: Where Political Action Is — and Isn’t — in 2020

Walters: Promises Made, but Not Kept

Walters: State Supreme Court Helps Insider Dealing

Walters: New Year, Old Confounding Issues for California

Walters: Bullet Train Follies

Walters: California’s Housing Crisis vs. Reality

Walters: California’s High-Tech FI$Cal Debacle

Walters: What Now for PG&E?