Dan Walters

California has its own version of Les Misérables in the quarter-century-long effort by California's income tax system to collect millions in taxes from high-tech inventor Gilbert Hyatt. And it looks like Hyatt will finally prevail.

U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris is wasting no time grabbing for the brass ring of American politics, the presidency. She's joined a large and growing field of Democrats.

California has a severe housing crisis but it's compounded by the high price of building or even rehabbing low-cost housing.

A strike by Los Angeles Unified School District teachers and Pacific Gas and Electric's announced intention to declare bankruptcy are symptoms of a larger malady of arrogance and irresponsibility by large institutions.

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

Seven years ago, Jerry Brown and the Legislature abolished redevelopment. There are efforts to bring it back, but Brown's successor as governor, Gavin Newsom, has thrown cold water on the idea.

California's budget is dangerously dependent on taxing a relative handful of wealthy people. Newly inaugurated Gov. Gavin Newsom says he will work on tax reform.

Gov. Gavin Newsom has recognized California's high living costs, but government is a major driver of those costs.

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

Newly inaugurated Gov. Gavin Newsom proposes his first budget, takes cautious approach to spending and outlines assault on housing shortage.