Dan Walters

An overhead view of a person as they face and look at three vertical digital screens hung up against a wall that contain more names and case numbers at a courthouse.

Commentary

California’s list of failed tech projects just added an agency

California agencies have spent hundreds of millions on technology projects with mediocre success or failure in some cases. Chaos administering the recent bar exam is the latest example.

By

Dan Walters

• March 6, 2025

A person wearing a navy blue suit points in front of them as they stand behind a lectern with the California seal in front of it. A large screen with a graphic that reads "our state revenues are up by $16.5 B" is seen next to him.

Commentary

California uses gimmicks instead of addressing the heart of its budget problem

Gimmickry has become an integral part of the current California budget process, even though the state faces a structural deficit.

By

Dan Walters

• March 5, 2025

Commentary

Reflecting on 50 years of writing about California’s politics — and still counting

As CalMatters columnist Dan Walters reaches a personal milestone entering his 50th year covering California politics, he reflects on his early days on the Capitol beat.

By

Dan Walters

• March 4, 2025

A person wearing a navy blue jacket with an official city emblem gestures while speaking outdoors. Another person in a black jacket is focused on a phone, while a group of individuals stands behind them. A camera operator records the scene, and a large vehicle is partially visible on the right. Trees and high-rise buildings can be seen in the background.

Commentary

Erratic wildfire performance puts LA Mayor Karen Bass in a political hole

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass' wildfire response includes some embarrassing troubles of her own making, including canning the city's fire chief.

By

Dan Walters

• February 28, 2025

A row of tents and makeshift shelters, covered with tarps and surrounded by personal belongings, lines a grassy area near a railway under an overcast sky. A person wearing a dark coat and hat moves near a white tent. In the background, a train approaches on an elevated track, and scattered items, bicycles, and blue recycling bins are visible throughout the encampment.

Commentary

Newsom wants to blame others for California’s housing and homelessness failures

Gov. Gavin Newsom fell short of his vow to reduce homelessness and to build 3.5 million new homes. A new state website reports counties' progress on those goals.

By

Dan Walters

• February 27, 2025

A person with light-colored hair, wearing a red sweater and a plaid face mask, sits on a couch surrounded by stacks of cardboard boxes. They hold up a printed document with a serious expression, scanning its contents. A folder labeled 'COVID' rests on their lap, and blinds cover the window behind them.

Commentary

California’s aging population will test whether its demography is destiny

By 2040, more than one in five Californians will be 65 or older, while the working age population stays the same and the child population shrinks. Are we ready for that?

By

Dan Walters

• February 14, 2025

A teacher, in glasses and a black and white jacket, points at a screen in front of a classroom of sitting students. The students are seated in groups of desks with laptops in front of them as they watch the teacher.

Commentary

California schools still fall behind despite big increases in spending

Many California students are still behind pre-pandemic progress in math and reading, a new study shows. But Compton students bucked the trend.

By

Dan Walters

• February 13, 2025

A group of law enforcement officers wearing tactical gear and face coverings walk through a residential area. The officers wear vests labeled with 'FBI' and 'POLICE ICE,' carrying various equipment. The background features a brick building with black railings, suggesting an urban setting.

Commentary

How a 1995 California court ruling that restored immigrant rights could backfire in 2025

Federal prosecutors are trying to overturn Illinois sanctuary laws, and the case could have major implications for a California law limiting local law enforcement cooperation with immigration authorities.

By

Dan Walters

• February 12, 2025

An aerial view of rows of homes destroyed by Palisades Fire along the coast in Malibu. Cars are driving on the highway between two rows of destroyed houses.

Commentary

Will having ‘too many cooks’ complicate recovery from deadly Los Angeles fires?

The response to homelessness in California, which has suffered from a lack of clear responsibility with officials pointing fingers, offers a warning for Los Angeles fire recovery.

By

Dan Walters

• February 11, 2025

Jeff Dollente, a zanjero with the Imperial Irrigation District, opens a gate on the Redwood Canal north of El Centro on June 1, 2022. Photo by Mark Henle, The Republic via Reuters

Commentary

Colorado River poses another California water conflict that Trump will affect

President Donald Trump took office at a pivotal moment in a dispute over water rights on the Colorado River. California and other states have competing claims.

By

Dan Walters

• February 7, 2025