Dan Walters

Walters: Tone-Deaf Insurance Czar Lara and His Critics

September 8, 2019

During his first months as the state’s elected insurance commissioner, Ricardo Lara was rocked by disclosures that he had accepted more than $50,000 in campaign contributions from insurance industry sources after pledging to shun such dealings during his campa...

Walters: Newsom Wheels and Deals on Big Issues

Dan Walters, CalMatters Commentary

September 5, 2019

Gavin Newsom wasn’t born when the TV game show “Let’s Make a Deal” began its run but he’s channeling its host, Monty Hall, during the final days of his first legislative session as governor. Every few days, ...

Photo of a bored student hiding his face

Walters: Charter Schools Cheat the Hangman

Dan Walters, CalMatters Commentary

September 4, 2019

Elections have consequences – often beneficial ones for those on the winning side and detrimental to the losers. Operators of California’s charter schools – public schools that operate independently of schoo...

AP Photo of people protesting the Janus decision{

Walters: California Unions Win in Politics But Lose Members

Dan Walters, CalMatters Commentary

September 2, 2019

One of the more curious anomalies about California is that while labor unions’ political power has increased to virtual hegemony, especially in the last decade, union membership has declined just as sharply. On Labor Day 2019, one can only wonder whether bo...

Walters: Politicians Mull the Future of Work

Dan Walters, CalMatters Commentary

August 29, 2019

The Legislature’s 2019 session will end in two weeks and no issue will have more impact on California’s workers and economic future than Assembly Bill 5 – even if it doesn’t pass. AB 5 would place in law, wi...

Photo of tax form and a magnifying glass

Walters: Old Tax Loopholes Live Again

Dan Walters, CalMatters Commentary

August 28, 2019

Everything old is new again, at least when it comes to punching loopholes in state tax laws to benefit corporate interests. As noted in a recent column, legislation is moving to re-establish “redevelopment” ...

Walters: Striking With a Hot Iron

Dan Walters, CalMatters Commentary

August 26, 2019

The old adage of “strike while the iron is hot” is especially applicable to politics. Something that might be politically impossible at one moment may succeed when circumstances change if advocates for that something move fast enough. Dan Walters...

Walters: A Resurrection for Redevelopment?

Dan Walters, CalMatters Commentary

August 25, 2019

Voters and elected officials adopt policies on assurances of beneficial impacts, but they often interact with other decrees to produce what are called “unintended consequences.” Redevelopment has been a clas...

Photo of handguns displayed at the Smith & Wesson booth at the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show in Las Vegas

Walters: Do ‘Red Flag’ Laws Actually Save Lives?

Dan Walters, CalMatters Commentary

August 22, 2019

The UC Davis Medical School this week released a report on the state’s new “red flag” law aimed at seizing guns from dangerous persons, saying the data “suggest that this urgent, individualized intervention can...

Photo of Gov. Gavin Newsom surrounded by Assemblywoman Shirley Weber and members of the Clark family after the signing of AB 392 lFam

Walters: Deadly Force Law Finally and Rightfully Changed

Dan Walters, CalMatters Commentary

August 21, 2019

The record of the 2019 legislative session – Gov. Gavin Newsom’s first – is still a work in progress, but his signature on Assembly Bill 392 this week makes it a success, no matter what else happens. Dan Walters CALmatters Opinion The mea...

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Walters: Newsom Now Owns the COVID-19 Pandemic

Rediscovering America: A Quiz for Independence Day

LIVE: Daily Briefing from Gov. Gavin Newsom

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

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

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Walters: Tone-Deaf Insurance Czar Lara and His Critics

Walters: Newsom Wheels and Deals on Big Issues

Walters: Charter Schools Cheat the Hangman

Walters: California Unions Win in Politics But Lose Members

Walters: Politicians Mull the Future of Work

Walters: Old Tax Loopholes Live Again

Walters: Striking With a Hot Iron

Walters: A Resurrection for Redevelopment?

Walters: Do ‘Red Flag’ Laws Actually Save Lives?

Walters: Deadly Force Law Finally and Rightfully Changed