Dan Walters

Commentary

Will Attorney General Rob Bonta jump into the 2026 race for California governor?

A handful of Democratic politicians are already running for governor of California in 2026. Attorney General Rob Bonta is acting as if he might jump in. But so far there are no Latinos or Republicans in the mix.

By

Dan Walters

• April 18, 2024

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

Commentary

If Newsom truly follows the science, why not adopt the ‘science of reading’ in California schools?

California Gov. Gavin Newsom contends that he followed science when battling COVID-19. But when it comes to the "science of reading" in schools, California has continued to oppose a proven method for improving comprehension.

By

Dan Walters

• April 17, 2024

New housing construction in Elk Grove on Friday, July 8, 2022. Photo by Rahul Lal, CalMatters

Commentary

California’s high construction costs limit housing. A Supreme Court decision might help

Extremely high construction costs make it difficult for California to solve its housing crisis, but a Supreme Court decision on impact fees could lower some costs.

By

Dan Walters

• April 16, 2024

Dave Lesher and Ryan Sabalow in the CalMatters newsroom work on Digital Democracy on April 3, 2024. Photo by Fred Greaves for CalMatters

Commentary

‘Digital Democracy’ project penetrates California’s opaque political processes

Technology has slowly made its way into Capitol politics, but access to political data has taken a quantum leap with the introduction of Digital Democracy, an immense, accessible transparency tool created by CalMatters.

By

Dan Walters

• April 12, 2024

New housing construction in a neighborhood in Elk Grove on July 8, 2022. Photo by Rahul Lal, CalMatters

Commentary

While California politicians skirmish over housing, the shortage keeps growing

While California's Capitol continues to host political struggles over how to deal with the state's housing shortage, the gap continues to widen as demand outpaces construction.

By

Dan Walters

• April 11, 2024

Deidra Perry, program financial manager for Alameda County Healthcare for the Homeless, takes part in Alameda County’s 2024 point-in-time count in Berkeley on Jan. 25, 2024. The PIT count, which included a voluntary survey, gathers data on the county’s homeless population. Photo by Loren Elliott for CalMatters

Commentary

California audit says results on homelessness are unclear. The numbers tell a different story

California has created many programs to battle the scourge of homelessness, but a new audit says the agency created to coordinate those programs has failed to do its job.

By

Dan Walters

• April 10, 2024

Robert Lapsley, California Business Roundtable, speaks in opposition to SB 37, a bill that seeks to limit CEO pay to 20 times that of their average worker

Commentary

Business groups and lawmakers battle over ballot measure to limit California tax increases

Hoping to leverage popular resistance to tax increases, business and anti-tax groups in California have qualified a measure for the November ballot that would make raising state and local taxes much more difficult. It's a showdown that's been building for nearly five decades.

By

Dan Walters

• April 9, 2024

Supporters of SEIU Local 1000, rally in front of the Governor's Mansion in Sacramento on June 8, 2023. Photo by Julie A Hotz for CalMatters

Commentary

Political ritual: California labor priorities and business ‘job killers’ again on a collision course

California labor groups have their list of priority bills and the California Chamber of Commerce has a list of "job killers" it wants to defeat. Sometimes the two lists collide.

By

Dan Walters

• April 5, 2024

Gov. Gavin Newsom watches as Water Engineers Andy Reising, right, and Anthony Burdock, part of the California Department of Water Resources Snow Surveys and Water Supply Forecasting Unit, conduct the fourth media snow survey of the 2024 season at Phillips Station in the Sierra Nevada on April 2, 2024. Photo by Fred Greaves, California Department of Water Resources

Commentary

California enjoys healthy water supply, but battles over its uses continue to fester

California's water supply is the healthiest it's been this century thanks to two consecutive wet winters, but the state's water interests continue jousting over priorities.

By

Dan Walters

• April 4, 2024

The state Capitol in Sacramento on Nov. 17, 2022. Photo by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters

Commentary

California progressives forced to play defense as state faces huge budget deficits

Progressive groups in California seemed to be making headway on their agendas in recent years. But now, with the state facing huge budget deficits, those gains are in jeopardy.

By

Dan Walters

• April 3, 2024