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Dan Walters

Opinion Columnist

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Dan Walters is one of most decorated and widely syndicated columnists in California history, authoring a column four times a week that offers his view and analysis of the state’s political, economic, social and demographic trends. He began covering California politics in 1975, just as Jerry Brown began his first stint as governor, and began writing his column in 1981, first for the Sacramento Union for three years, then for The Sacramento Bee for 33 years and now for CalMatters since 2017. 

Dan is also the author or co-author of two books about California, “The New California: Facing the 21st Century” and “The Third House: Lobbyists, Money and Power in Sacramento.” He is a frequent radio show guest and occasionally appears on national television, commenting on California issues. 

Walters began his career in 1960 at the Humboldt Times in Eureka, California, a month before his 17th birthday, first as a newsroom aide and later as a police beat reporter. Having found his calling, he not only turned down a National Merit college scholarship but dropped out of high school, lacking one required class – ironically civics – to qualify for a diploma. Before moving to Sacramento to cover politics, he was the managing editor of three small daily newspapers. He has two adult daughters and three grandsons. 

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Morning commuters head westbound on route 580 toward Oakland on July 22, 2019. Photo by Anne Wernikoff/CalMatters
Commentary
A game of political chicken
California scored a tactical win in its climate change fight with Donald Trump over auto emissions, but the game of political chicken continues.
By • July 31, 2019
Commentary
Newsom now owns DMV’s woes
Having declared that he'll fix California's Department of Motor Vehicles, Gov. Gavin Newsom now owns it and will pay the penalty for failure.
By • July 25, 2019
Commentary
Local tax conflict heats up
The vote required to enact special purpose taxes for local governments is legally up in the air after a San Francisco judge validated two tax measures that didn't receive two-thirds voter support.
By • July 10, 2019
Dan Walters
Agencies stall on public records access
On paper, California has some of the nation’s best open records laws, the latest of which allows access to previously secret information about police misconduct. However, passing a sunshine law is one thing, while applying it may be entirely different. That’s currently being demonstrated vis-à-vis the aforementioned law granting access to police misconduct records. The […]
By • July 8, 2019

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Dan Walters - CalMatters
Dan Walters is one of most decorated and widely syndicated columnists in California history, authoring a column four times a week that offers his view and analysis of the state’s political, economic, social and demographic trends.
CalMatters
California, explained
Dan Walters
Dan Walters is one of most decorated and widely syndicated columnists in California history, authoring a column four times a week that offers his view and analysis of the state’s political, economic, social and demographic trends. He began covering California politics in 1975, just as Jerry Brown began his first stint as governor, and began writing his column in 1981, first for the Sacramento Union for three years, then for The Sacramento Bee for 33 years and now for CalMatters since 2017. Dan is also the author or co-author of two books about California, “The New California: Facing the 21st Century” and “The Third House: Lobbyists, Money and Power in Sacramento.” He is a frequent radio show guest and occasionally appears on national television, commenting on California issues. Walters began his career in 1960 at the Humboldt Times in Eureka, California, a month before his 17th birthday, first as a newsroom aide and later as a police beat reporter. Having found his calling, he not only turned down a National Merit college scholarship but dropped out of high school, lacking one required class – ironically civics – to qualify for a diploma. Before moving to Sacramento to cover politics, he was the managing editor of three small daily newspapers. He has two adult daughters and three grandsons.