Dan Walters

People wearing black cap and gowns with red, green and white colored sashes stand in front of chairs during a graduation ceremony in font of attendees in an arena.

Commentary

New California school data project fulfills campaign promise Newsom made

The Cradle-to Career dashboard shows where high school students land after graduation. It could make schools more accountable to parents and taxpayers.

By

Dan Walters

• April 24, 2025

A person, wearing black sunglasses, a black sweater and blue pants, scans their credit card on an electric vehicle charging port while a pump is connected to their white car.

Commentary

Given its failures, can California manage a transition to a carbon-free future?

The mileposts on the road to a carbon-free California are beginning to appear, but the state is already falling behind. The just announced closure of another refinery isn't reassuring.

By

Dan Walters

• April 23, 2025

A row of stacked white shipping containers with the word 'Matson' printed on them dominates the background. In the foreground, parts of a semi-truck and a red shipping container are visible. The scene is set along a hillside with sparse greenery under a clear blue sky.

Commentary

California’s economy was already sluggish before Trump’s global tariffs

California's high unemployment rate and job losses in private industries predated President Trump's global trade crusade.

By

Dan Walters

• April 22, 2025

A teacher sits at a table with a small group of students in a classroom, leading a discussion. A whiteboard behind them displays vocabulary words like “enough” and “jewelry.” The walls are covered with educational posters and a word wall. Empty desks and bins of supplies are visible in the foreground.

Commentary

Wide school disparities persist 54 years after California’s landmark funding decision

Several decades of fighting over how to "equalize" education funding have landed California back where it started, with an inequitable, taxpayer-funded public education system that can't close achievement gaps.

By

Dan Walters

• April 11, 2025

New housing construction in a neighborhood on the outskirts of west Fresno on June 15, 2023. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local

Commentary

Other states do housing better than California; a new study shows how they do it

Terrible trio of a too small housing supply, too high living costs and too many homeless people plague California. A study says metro areas elsewhere are more pro-housing.

By

Dan Walters

• April 10, 2025

A semi-truck with a blue container makes a wide turn next to a giant stack of pink and maroon colored shipping containers at a port.

Commentary

The pressure on California’s already shaky budget keeps on growing

The current state budget is already billions of dollars in the hole. When Gov. Gavin Newsom reveals his revised proposal in a month, it's not likely to be a pretty picture.

By

Dan Walters

• April 9, 2025

A side view of an afternoon sun shining on a street lined with tents for those experiencing homelessness with some cars and bikes nearby.

Commentary

LA feud is a prime example of the constant clashes between California cities and counties

What happened last week in California’s most populous county and its largest city exemplifies the intergovernmental tensions that spill out into public view during debates over the state's top issues.

By

Dan Walters

• April 8, 2025

A person, wearing safety glasses, a blue collar short and jeans stands in front of a tractor engine that sits on a table. Other people working on their projects can be seen in the background.

Commentary

Newsom touts career master plan as his governorship begins to wind down

Gavin Newsom's new plan to reform career education is a to-do list for his successor and more polishing of his resume should he run for president.

By

Dan Walters

• April 4, 2025

Vice President Kamala Harris, wearing a tan blazer and black shirt, stands behind a podium with as hundreds of supporters stand behind her, waving signs with her name at a campaign rally.

Commentary

As Democratic candidates for governor increase, they wait for Harris to decide

Democratic big-money donors wait to see if former Vice President Kamala Harris will run for governor, which could thin out a crowded primary contest in June.

By

Dan Walters

• April 3, 2025

The state Capitol in Sacramento on July 6, 2022. Photo by Rahul Lal, CalMatters

Commentary

In California’s Capitol, some political fights span decades

The dynamics of California's Capitol haven't changed much in the last 50 years. In fact, many conflicts from 1975 can still be found in bills this year.

By

Dan Walters

• April 2, 2025