Dan Walters

Students complete classwork at Stege Elementary School in Richmond on Feb. 6, 2023. Photo by Shelby Knowles for CalMatters

Commentary

Successful reading skills upgrade offers a lesson for California politicians

A new study found that spending $53 million on upgrading the reading skills of third graders had a positive effect. It's a lesson that politicians should heed.

By

Dan Walters

• December 6, 2023

Gov. Gavin Newsom unveils his revised budget proposal for 2023-24 during a press briefing at the state Natural Resources Agency in Sacramento on May 12, 2023. Photo by Rahul Lal for CalMatters

Commentary

Economic reality bites as Newsom faces a big California budget problem

California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared that the state's economy is "booming" in a recent debate. A new report shows that it is actually slowing, and that the governor faces a huge budget problem as income tax revenues lag behind.

By

Dan Walters

• December 5, 2023

Gov. Gavin Newsom leaves the stage after addressing attendees at his inauguration for a second term at the Plaza de California in Sacramento on Jan. 6, 2023. Photo by Rahul Lal, CalMatters

Commentary

Newsom chides Ohio GOP for trying to change voting rules yet adopts the same tactics

Gov. Gavin Newsom criticized Ohio Republicans for trying to change voting rules to thwart an abortion rights ballot measure, but he's doing the same thing to kill a business-backed measure making it more difficult to raise taxes.

By

Dan Walters

• December 3, 2023

Journalists watch Florida Governor and Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis debate California Governor Gavin Newsom on a screen in the media room, in Alpharetta on November 30, 2023. Photo by Elijah Nouvelage, Reuters

Commentary

Cowboys vs. Seahawks game was a better show than Newsom vs. DeSantis

California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis faced off in a televised debate Thursday night. Those who opted for the Dallas vs. Seattle football game got a better show.

By

Dan Walters

• December 1, 2023

From left, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Photos by Rebecca Blackwell, AP Photo and Miguel Gutierrez Jr, CalMatters

Commentary

Newsom vs. DeSantis: A real debate on the issues or just more mudslinging?

After months of long-distance exchanges, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will have a face-to-face debate on Thursday. Will it be a mature conversation or just more mudslinging?

By

Dan Walters

• November 29, 2023

The California Public Utilities Commission offices at the Edmund G Pat Brown building in San Francisco on Jan. 28, 2022. Photo by Martin do Nascimento, CalMatters

Commentary

California’s history of regulating consumer prices often protects companies or providers

While advocates of regulating prices for consumer services and commodities say the practice protects the public, there's a flip side of also protecting the the finances of those who provide the services.

By

Dan Walters

• November 28, 2023

An empty Interstate 10 remains closed after a fire burned under the freeway in downtown Los Angeles shortly after midnight on Nov. 11, 2023. Gov. Gavin Newsom held a press conference on Tuesday where he stated that the fire was deliberately set and that the freeway may be in better shape than first thought. Photo by Ted Soqui, Reuters

Commentary

Closed-off Interstate 10 is no stranger to major damage or political attention

Interstate 10 is one of the country's major coast-to-coast freeways and has iconic status in Southern California. A weekend fire not only damaged the freeway but once again made it the center of political attention.

By

Dan Walters

• November 15, 2023

Students in a classroom in Sacramento. Photo by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters

Commentary

California keeps expanding school curricula. What about improving key subjects?

Proposals to add specific topics to California public school curricula abound, but they take time away from basic academic skills that are already lagging.

By

Dan Walters

• November 14, 2023

Commentary

Political and economic stakes are high for San Francisco’s APEC conference

San Francisco is hosting a massive economic conference of Pacific Rim nations this week and it has a lot riding on the outcome, as do those attending the APEC meeting.

By

Dan Walters

• November 13, 2023

The offices of the Employment Development Department in Sacramento on Jan. 10, 2022. Photo by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters

Commentary

What went wrong at EDD? An investigation of its managerial meltdown

Politicians love to promote new laws, programs and services but pay little attention to whether what they have wrought works as promised. The California Employment Development Department is a sad case in point, as a new CalMatters investigation details.

By

Dan Walters

• November 12, 2023