California Voices

Stockton did not fall behind by accident. Years of redlining, tax structures that undercut development and missed opportunities led to California's fragmented economy. It doesn’t have to be this way. One way we can spur a resurgence of economic prosperity is to use a new tax incentive called opportunity zones.

Difficult negotiations on how to efficiently and fairly share water among farmers, cities including San Francisco, and fish and wildlife have been underway since 2012 with little resolution in sight—until last month. With the leadership of the Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration, representatives of farmers, cities and conservation groups are having productive negotiations.

California has struggled to cut cigarette butt litter for decades. But with the rise in popularity of small cigars with plastic filters and e-cigarettes, the waste problem is getting worse.

Los Angeles Unified School District wants voters to approve a new tax, but it's undermining its pitch by incompetent—or duplicitous—actions.

California can’t keep the lights on if we don’t have enough power available to meet demand at peak times, like in the evening when folks get home from work. The state has nowhere near enough storage to handle the thousands of megawatts of new renewable energy that will be coming down the pike.

Demography is destiny, and California is experiencing it right now. One consequence is a relative decline in political influence.

A collection of commentaries by Dan Walters over the past week.

Climate change is worsening water scarcity and flood risks. Advancements in engineering and technology can help prepare wastewater agencies for a changing climate. But significant shifts in policy and planning are needed to address these challenges.

Groundwater basins drawn down by years of drought contain dangerously high levels of nitrates, arsenic and other contaminants. One million Californians don't have safe drinking water and nearly 2 million more are not served by a regulated public water system and may not know if their water is contaminated. The Legislature must step in.

Excluding hydroelectric power from the state's renewable portfolio to reduce greenhouse gases makes no sense. A pending bill would bring some rationality to the situation.