Dan Walters

California Capitol, home of the Assembly and Senate. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters

Commentary

Proposition 16: A new fight over affirmative action

California's Proposition 16 is a new skirmish in an old battle over "affirmative action."

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• October 4, 2020

Commentary

Proposition 19’s tortuous journey to the ballot

California's Proposition 19 refights old battles as it alters laws governing property tax assessments.

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• September 30, 2020

California Capitol, home of the Assembly and Senate. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters

Commentary

Three measures test attitudes on crime

Three ballot measures test whether California voters endorse criminal justice reforms or believe they've gone too far.

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• September 29, 2020

California Capitol, home of the Assembly and Senate. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters

Commentary

New housing goals stir opposition

California has many crises, including COVID-19 and recession, but its housing shortage continues and a showdown is looming.

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• September 27, 2020

California Capitol, home of the Assembly and Senate. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters

Commentary

Is Newsom serious about banning gas-powered cars?

Is Gov. Gavin Newsom serious about banning sales of internal combustion-powered vehicles, or is this just another impractical goal?"

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• September 25, 2020

California Capitol, home of the Assembly and Senate. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters

Commentary

Gig worker bill: A lousy way to make law

California's political conflict over gig workers exemplifies irrational, opaque lawmaking.

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• September 23, 2020

California Capitol, home of the Assembly and Senate. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters

Commentary

California’s job numbers aren’t good

California's new job numbers look positive, until one delves into the details.

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• September 22, 2020

California Capitol, home of the Assembly and Senate. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters

Commentary

Forty-two years later, another property tax battle

Forty-two years after California voters overwhemingly passed Proposition 13, the state's iconic property tax limit, Proposition 15 proposes to alter it.

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• September 21, 2020

California Capitol, home of the Assembly and Senate. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters

Commentary

High housing costs keep Californians poor

California still has the nation's highest poverty rate, thanks to our high housing costs, which restrict much-needed construction.

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• September 20, 2020

California Capitol, home of the Assembly and Senate. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters

Commentary

Most ‘job killer’ bills bite the dust again

Despite the influence of COVID-19 and recession, the California Chamber of Commerce maintained its record of defeating "job killer" bills.

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• September 16, 2020