A political saga that began more than four decades ago came full circle last week when the state Supreme Court, including four Jerry Brown appointees, indirectly upbraided the former governor. Unanimously, the court declared that Proposition 57, a major criminal justice overhaul sponsored by Brown and overwhelmingly passed by voters in...
Walters: Environmental Exemptions Yes, but Reform No
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 pop up for the session that ended a fortnight ago, implying the Legislature’s penchant for...
Walters: California’s Crisis of Competence
Year by year and article by article, Ralph Vartabedian has revealed to Californians the woeful shortcomings of the state’s largest public works project, a north-south bullet train. Vartabedian, a writer for the Los Angeles Times, has made a virtual career of uncovering the project’s managerial, financial and political failings, lending...
Walters: A Strange Bedfellows Alliance on Bail
Senate Bill 10, passed by the Legislature and signed by then-Gov. Jerry Brown in 2018, violated one of the unwritten rules of making public policy in California. The measure, one of several criminal justice reforms championed by Brown during his second governorship, would eliminate cash bail for those accused of...
The Warm California Sun Needs to Shine in The Dark Corners of Government Operations
Gov. Gavin Newsom promised greater transparency in California government. Jerry Brown was elected secretary of state 50 years ago on a transparency platform. While serving one of his terms in what nearly turned out to be a “governor-for-life” political career, Brown said he was “committed to keeping state government open...
Walters: California’s Stubborn ‘Achievement Gap’
Sooner or later, reality rears its ugly head and that seems to be happening with the state’s very expensive — but apparently failing — efforts to close a yawning “achievement gap” among the state’s nearly 6 million elementary and secondary school students. Early in the decade, as Jerry Brown began his second...
Schwarzenegger, Brown Talk Solar and Robots in Clovis
Arnold Schwarzenegger's star still shines. The Hollywood celebrity, former California governor, and WWE Hall of Famer headlined a celebration of solar energy at the Buchanan High School's CTE amphitheater in Clovis. Listen to this article: "The Terminator" shared the stage with his successor, former Gov. Jerry Brown, in an event...
Arnold, Jerry Brown Shine Light In Clovis on Thursday
California's two most recent former governors will visit Clovis on Thursday to celebrate a milestone in solar panel installation. Listen to this article: Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jerry Brown will appear at an event hosted by a coalition of solar power advocates to celebrate the one millionth solar roof installation since...
Walters: Newsom Fumbles on Transportation
Gavin Newsom has a transportation problem — not personally, but politically. As governor, Newsom travels in an entourage with a personal driver and lots of security. However, he shares the road with millions of Californians who must cope with ever-increasing congestion, poorly maintained pavement and sky-high fuel prices. A couple...
Walters: Newsom Wheels and Deals on Big Issues
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, it seems, Newsom announces that he and legislative leaders have agreed on one...